5 cities in one month may seem like a whirlwind for most people, but for author and all around powerhouse Arese Ugwu? Piece.Of. Cake.
The diminutive personal finance evangelist and educator surprised us all when she announced the East Africa leg of her sold-out Smart Money Woman Tour, the corollary to her best selling book that has been running – incredibly might we add- for almost two years now.
Since that surprise announcement, she’s been on the go (it’s not even over yet) from press events, to workshops and radio appearances, it has been non-stop! And of course she’s kept the looks coming in everything from statement workwear to relaxed resort wear from some of her failsafe designers for the power woman – Lady Biba, The CP Woman and Adey Soile and her signature Tara ‘Arese Red’ lipstick. Just one look through her IG, and you’d learn that she documents her career constantly.
We asked Arese to take us along for the ride, and luckily she obliged. Scroll to see all the looks and happenings on her Kampala and Nairobi stops!
EAST AFRICAN BOOK TOUR KICK OFF!!!Me and my assistant Imelda on the plane to Uganda… the hustle has been too real to get to this point but I can’t thank God enough that we are finally here!!! I have to believe that God rewards a stubborn heart!!! Because I have been relentless!!! I’ve chopped so many NOs from potential sponsors and partners in different countries but I’m so thankful for the YESs that we did get!! BIG Thank you to our travel partner @dandptravels they came correct!!! The James Bond Wonu did today to get us on the flight was on another level!!!! 5 countries in one month!
Kampala, Uganda We are here!!!!! The event is today at 6pm at @thesquare.place!!!! We are sooo excited can’t wait to meet all the fabulous people!! Tell your friends to Tell their friends.. A big thank you to our host @nahidabhegani for making this happen with such short notice!!! I was just about to announce that we had to cancel our Ugandan tour stop because everything was going to hell…Venue lost, sponsors ??? nothing was working out But she swooped in at the last second and started working her magic!!the results Ive seen in the last 3 days have been phenomenal!! Thank you @wonulamidi and @dandptravels because when you committed to being our Travel sponsors you didn’t expect last minute changes like adding Uganda, or extra ticket for Imelda ??? Wonu was up till 3am..sending me messages to make sure we got in ok…she had even sent an email ahead to the hotel to request complimentary early check in because we landed at 4am and check in is at 12…you thought of Everything!!!! So grateful?Mine is a story of Grace!!! God sent me unbelievable helpers to make my vision a reality
Lunch with @nahidabhegani last minute details for our event @thesquare.place tonight!!!! @adeysoile dress for the win!!!! #eastafricanbooktour#thesmartmoneywoman #uganda #kampala#booktourchronicles
East Africa Book Tour!!! It was such a fun day getting to know my host @nahidabhegani @thesquare.place..the best thing about these tours is meeting new people from different parts of the continent…learning about their economy, their pain points with money and business and finding out that even though we are different…in some ways we are pretty much the same…Nahida is a kick as business woman with several businesses under her belt!!! Can’t wait to meet more Ugandan women today!!! #Uganda#eastafricanbooktour#thesmartmoneywoman dress: @adeysoile
Feeling like a Lady Boss in @loveladybiba for my Uganda event ❤#eastafricanbooktour #Uganda cc @goodhairltd
Landed in Kenya…feels like we’ve been travelling for 24hrs mishap at the airport but @wonulamidi@dandptravels handled it like a G!!! Find you a travel partner that is resilient in a crisis.. Finally in Kenya and my host @nanawanjausent a concierge service to pick me up when I landed and take us through immigration and then sent a car to take us to the hotel…basically travelled in my pyjamas I’m sooooo tired..I feel like a Zombie ? so the ease was soo welcome!!! This is my first time in Kenya and we are here for a week so I’m super excited!! #eastafricanbooktour#thesmartmoneywoman#thesmartmoneymovement ? @samsung_nigeria #GalaxyNote8NG#DoBiggerThingsNG
Had to be up super early this morning to make it to my radio interview on Capital FM at 7.30am in @loveladybiba to talk about my book and the main event on Wednesday 13th June 8.30am…Strathmore business school
Capital FM this morning @loveladybiba #eastafricanbooktour#thesmartmoneywoman#thesmartmoneymovement#panafricangang
After our Live interview with @serahteshna #eastafricanbooktour #thesmartmoneywoman #kenya
Has a great time shooting with @valentine.njoroge for her YouTube channel…she said she read the book in 3 hours and she had some of the best questions including what is asoebi? I had to explain to her about @asoebibellaand @bellanaijaweddings ? I love getting the perspective of the book from non-Nigerians it’s so fascinating to see how similar we all are…#eastafricanbooktour
I’ve been trying to channel @patienceakwubo_tara when I’m beating my Face on this trip ?
Today at the Strathmore business school in Kenya #eastafricanbooktour#thesmartmoneywoman #kenya
Karibu Kenya!!!! I was sooo moved Today!!! You came out and showed out!!! I’m.soo grateful to Caroline Mandi and Nana Wanjau… women who didn’t know me but collaborated with me in such a big way!!! You are the most amazing!!! Thank you cc @loveladybiba the compliments I got on this dress were beyond!!! ??? #SamsungNG
Apparently I was funny too!!!! ?
Yesterday was pretty incredible!!! Met so many amazing people…so many amazing women…there’s nothing like doing work that makes such a huge impact!! I kept thinking I’m in Kenya a country I’ve never been to but so many women have read my book… my host @nanawanjau said ‘ I met her book before I met her and knew she had to come to Kenya’ …small Arese Big God! Don’t try who God has blessed…my life is a testament of Grace…my superpower is resilience!
Lunch with some fabulous Kenyan people… Solomon Wangwe CEO of Goshen Acquisitions, @goshenacquisitions @rina_hicks Author of @moneywiseke and Caroline Mandi Publisher, True love Magazine Kenya
Looking forward to enjoying my last full day in Kenya @cpwoman.lagos @goodhairltd ? #eastafricanbooktour#thesmartmoneywoman#thesmartmoneymovement#panafricangang #kenya
Watch out for diaries from the rest of her tour, as well as some never seen before tour content coming soon!