Zainab Aderounmu 
Climbing the career ladder is tough. Doing it in heels? Even tougher! In her newly launched book, Heels and Ladders, intellectual property/ medico-legal lawyer, executive career coach, and mentor, Chinyere Okorocha, distills over three decades of corporate experience into a 14-chapter handbook for professional women.
Covering themes like personal branding, networking, negotiation and ambition for female professionals, she described it as the ‘gist’ of climbing the career ladder strategically rather than accidentally, as a woman.
“At some point, I had reached the height of my career as a lawyer that I could do it with my eyes closed, but there was something more in me to give. So, I wanted to face other things, but I realised I don’t need to stop being a lawyer to be a coach and impact lives, and then I started the journey of who I am today,” she said.
The book launch, which took place in Ikoyi, Lagos, marked the Nigerian unveiling, after its international debut in Doha at the 2025 NHN Women Network event.
She described the book-writing journey as a resilient one because she initially hired a ghostwriter whose writing style muted her original voice, so she began writing it from scratch, a process that lasted four years.
“I was eventually forced to finish the book last year, within three weeks, against the NHN Women Network event. My publisher made it work, and the book was launched in Doha, with all the copies sold at the event.”
The author also spoke extensively about the importance of mentorship and personal branding as necessary ingredients for a visibly rewarding career.
“Over the years, I recognised the importance of having mentors and coaches. And I’ve had quite a few coaches who have influenced me and helped me along the way. There were some women in the legal profession who I loved the way they carried themselves. When I was a young lawyer, there was this UK-trained lady lawyer, very tall. She used to wear shirts and skirts and carry a female briefcase. When she stands up to speak, she speaks sense. That was my model of what a female lawyer should be.”
“People have already decided who you are, what you represent, and what they will feel when they come into contact with you. So why not control the narrative? Personal branding is really about taking all your entire career, the entire knowledge you have, your entire persona and packaging it in such a way that you would promote a brand,” she added.
Reviewing the book, Kunle Ajagbe, commercial lawyer and co-founder of Aidan Partners, highlighted the gender dilemma where ambitious women are labelled with unsavoury monikers, while their male counterparts are automatically expected to be ambitious. He described the book as a timely intervention to help women negotiate their value in the workplace. Likewise, Mary Apkobome, Founder of Slate & Stone Consulting Limited, emphasised the need for women’s confidence to stem from competence, reinforced by the courage to speak up and demand due recognition for excellent delivery.
On the panel, Udo Okonjo, the CEO of Fine and Country West Africa, challenged women to confront self-doubt and demand remuneration that truly reflects their results. Also, Chinwe Uzoho, the regional managing director for West Africa at Network International, emphasised the importance of self-investment, challenging women to stop “playing small”.
Encouraging CEOs, Chinyere Okorocha added, “any establishment that has women at the helm of affairs always does better. Imagine starving your organisation of 50 per cent of the workforce it could have. Think about equity; it means meeting everyone at their point of need.”
The book redefines career advancement as an intentional journey and offers a blueprint for women professionals navigating their own journey.
Latest Edition of IWA Magazine
March 3, 2026
