INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: MEET SINDY FOSTER OF AVAERO CAPITAL PARTNERS

 

Today is the international women’s day.

The International Women’s Day, March 8, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2022, is: #BreakTheBias

In line with the international women’s day, Mamaj Aviation blog is celebrating some leading women holding their own in the Aviation, travel and tourism industry in Nigeria. These are women working assiduously behind the scenes, pushing boundaries and leaving a mark!  Women, whose stories will inspire you…

Meet Sindy Foster an Aviation Analyst. Marketing & PR Strategist. Serial Entrepreneur – Retail tech, Marketing & Aviation. Tower Awards – African Aviation Change Maker 2021

Please introduce yourself, your name, where are you from.

My name is Sindy Foster, I’m the Principal Managing Partner of Avaero Capital Partners an aviation consultancy helping to create a better pipeline to investment for aviation businesses in Africa. I am also the Managing Director of NYLON Marketing, a strategically focused integrated marketing, PR and brand reputation management agency.

Give us a brief career history. What schools did you attend?

I have a complicated career history as I am a serial entrepreneur with multiple businesses. I started life in the legal sector, then moved to marketing by accident. Marketing introduced me to the aviation sector where I got first hand experience working with a variety aviation businesses from a strategic and brand development perspective. I’m an Economics Graduate from Sussex University and went to Bishop Challoner school in London.

How many years have you spent in the Aviation industry?

I won my first aviation client in 2011. We went on to work for 36 aviation businesses from around the world. Aviation was one of seven sectors we dealt with, but it became an area of concentration for the agency from 2014 onwards. I developed a passion for African aviation and have specialised on this area since 2019. I even created a business focused on this region!

What is your lowest moment in your Career history?

The lowest moment has been during the Covid period. Africa should have used covid as an opportunity to increase connectivity within Africa, to advance implementation of SAATM and to collaborate more on border entry policies in relation to Covid-19. Instead Africa is as disunited and even more disconnected than it was before.

What is your most memorable moment?

The most memorable experience is actually the first project we ever did. A client had been let down by a previous service provider who had delivered a substandard website. We were given 14 days to create a brand and new website from scratch. We delivered the project within 13 days to the total satisfaction of the client. That client remains a client to this day. We went on to create all of the marketing collateral they still use to this day.

You are no doubt a woman of many abilities and capabilities; so many roles which no doubt can be quite demanding, what strategy have you adopted to help you cope with the demands of these different roles?

I’m very organised! I set up systems for each business so I can manage workflow. Back in the day I was “Queen of spreadsheets”! Now I use Cloud-based project and team management tools. As someone who was traveling a lot before Covid, it was important to be able to work from anywhere. We were early adopters of cloud storage and operate a paperless office.

I read every day. Remaining knowledgeable about what is going on in the sector gives me a competitive advantage.

What challenges have you encountered on the job and on your journey to the top, especially as a female?

I can’t say I have experienced any challenges in the sector as a woman. It has been an advantage.

When I started, I attended a business aviation event and people assumed I was a flight attendant! But that made me laugh rather than annoy me, as I wanted to be a flight attendant when I was younger! As soon as I opened my mouth, they realised I am in fact an expert who has done their 10,000 hours! My team of aviation experts (who are all men), respect my input and strategic leadership

My industry colleagues have accepted me as one of them. Being a woman has not been an issue, it has only made me more memorable.

How have you been able to balance work life and family?

I can’t say I have done the best job balancing work life and family life! My family has got used to me working hard, burning the midnight oil and travelling at short notice. It’s easier now my children are older.

As an opinionated woman, who says it as it is, what is your opinion about bias at the workplace against women? How can we change the narrative?

I have been my own person for so long that I have not allowed bias to impact me at all. But not everyone is in the same position.

My advice to women would be to know your worth, don’t hide in the shadows, blow your own trumpet and insist on credit for your ideas and your work. What men do well, better than most women, is professional networking. So I would advise women to be where you need to be, where decisions are made and opportunities are created. Women in Nigeria are often excluded because meetings take place late at night, or in places which perhaps sound dubious. But be professional, go to the meetings, show you can hold your own. They are not going to change because of you, so you need to make it work for you.

What advice do you have for the aspiring young women out there who may want to tow your line of profession?

Whatever your career choice, do it with a passion or have a good enough reason to stick with it! When work is something you enjoy you can stick with it even if times are hard. Do what you love,  provided you can earn enough to support your needs. Don’t be limited by your local environment. Your knowledge and experience may be valuable to people beyond. Whatever you do, be prepared to do the work, get more experience, and keep learning.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years

Within the next 5 years I will have launched NYLON in New York, which was my plan before I got distracted by Africa. Avaero Capital Partners will have expanded across Africa, and the Caribbean. My long term plan is to turn Avaero Capital Partners to an aviation investment bank.