How often in business do you find yourself listening to your intuition when it comes to making important decisions? I know I certainly trust my gut in these situations, and if you are like me, then it seems we are not alone. According to research, it seems that over 60% of leading business executives and entrepreneurs when faced with major decisions to make often rely on their gut feelings, in addition to looking at the facts. And there is a reason for that. Intuition is informed by our past experiences and expectations of the future based on those past experiences. Intuition works faster than our thinking minds, and as a result it is possibly more reliable. Research also suggests that women make more successful intuitive decisions because they have a stronger ability to organise environmental information and read nonverbal cues in others. Oprah Winfrey is one uber successful entrepreneur who believes in the power of intuition, saying: “I’ve trusted the still, small voice of intuition my entire life. And the only time I’ve made mistakes is when I didn’t listen.” Something to think about this morning as we reflect on the decisions we have to make! 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I had the great pleasure of being a guest speaker at the Margaret Hirsch Women in Business Awards in Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday evening last week, and what a wonderful occasion it was. The theme for the evening was 'Empowered Women Empower Women', and how true that sentiment is. I have always been a great believer that as women entrepreneurs we are far stronger if we support and empower each other on our business building journeys than if we go alone. So it was wonderful to see an audience of 500 women entrepreneurs celebrating each other’s achievements, instead of seeing themselves as competitors in business. Let’s encourage more of that spirit, and as a result, see more women entrepreneurs succeed in fulfilling their potential.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I was having an interesting conversation this week with a leading policy maker around Africa’s rapidly growing population and the need to create new jobs. It reminded me of the sobering statistic shared by British Prime Minister Theresa May at the recent UK/SA Business Forum in Cape Town where Lionesses of Africa was showcased. She said that between now and 2035, African nations will have to create 18 million new jobs every year just to keep pace with the rapidly growing population. That’s almost 50,000 new jobs every single day, simply to maintain employment at its current level. Finding solutions for job creation through entrepreneurship in Africa remains an ongoing mission of Lionesses of Africa. We know that women entrepreneurs understand the critical need for job creation — to create a livelihood for themselves, their families, and their communities. Women are directly touched by the scourge of joblessness. It impacts them personally, it impacts their children, and it heaps devastating societal deprivation on their communities. As a result, women entrepreneurs are highly motivated to build businesses that create jobs. Now, that is impact!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Can you believe that today is the 1st of November? The business year definitely has that feel of the final sprint to the finish line about it. We are all busy planning for the year ahead, while at the same time making those important sales to end the year on a positive cashflow note. Our thoughts are turning to forging new business relationships that could turn into exciting new sales opportunities for 2019. We are looking to consolidate and renew the business partnerships we already have in place. It is one of the busiest and often most stressful times of the year, but potentially one of the most rewarding. So, put on your running shoes, stay focused on the finish line, and make this final sprint of the year an enjoyable and impactful one, for you and your business.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Is it my imagination or are more new products launched into the marketplace in Africa at this time of year than at any other time? Is the reason that the end of the year signals the possibility of more discretionary spending on gifting? Or perhaps it's that after a long business year, there's a final burst of creativity that stimulates new product ideas? Whatever the reason, there is nothing quite like experiencing the thrill of launching a new product into the market. But it can sometimes be tough to reach those all important customers and grab their attention. To help Africa's women entrepreneurs to publicize their brand new product and service offerings, we have created our Lioness Launch platform. If you have a new product or service that you are launching, tell us about it and we will create a special launch feature on all the Lionesses of Africa platforms - just click here. We are also incorporating Lioness Launch into all our Lioness Lean In events around the African continent so we can give you the opportunity to launch your new products to a live audience of fellow women entrepreneurs. So what are you waiting for? Let's Lioness Launch! 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

As entrepreneurs, we are always looking to expand our customer bases and find new markets for our products and services. So it’s important when new opportunities come our way that we seize them. Those opportunities could take the form of a media interview, or a sales promotion platform, or a networking event. These are all potentially powerful ways of getting our businesses and our brands noticed. Talking of networking events, the Lioness Lean In events that we host across the African continent each month are great ways of breaking into new markets and making those important new business contacts. This November will be one of our busiest months yet as we host Lioness Lean In events in Centurion, South Africa (2nd); Maseru, Lesotho (16th); Windhoek, Namibia (20th); Maputo, Mozambique (23rd); and Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (29th). So if you are looking to do business in any of those vibrant cities, then come and join us at a Lioness Lean In event there and make the most of those opportunities. You can find out more about all our forthcoming Lioness Lean In events here.

I was chatting to a woman entrepreneur in Gaborone last week who I met in person for the first time, but who has been a member of our Lionesses of Africa community for a few years. As we were chatting, she shared something with me that really resonated. And it proves why it is so important that we provide a platform for women entrepreneurs to share their thoughts, knowledge and experiences with each other. She had been going through a tough time in her business. Some of her new products had failed to gain traction in the market. She was staring failure in the face, and she was beginning to doubt her decision to be an entrepreneur. Whilst reading some inspirational articles on the Lionesses of Africa website, she came across a very personal article written by a fellow entrepreneur on the subject of failure. It made her feel like she was not alone in dealing with her challenges, and importantly, it gave her hope and encouragement to keep going. As women entrepreneurs, we need to help each other and our voices, words and shared experiences can be powerful tools to do just that. 

We all know it’s not easy building a business. But there is nothing quite as satisfying as seeing it grow over time and maturing, seeing it employing people and making a difference. That’s why it’s important to celebrate all those key milestones reached along the way. Marking that all important first year in business, then five years, ten, twenty, thirty…… As women entrepreneurs, we need to be inspired by seeing others successfully building businesses that reach big milestones, proving it is possible. And importantly, we need to celebrate their success too. So this morning, let’s recognize one of our inspirational 100 Lionesses network members, Divine Ndhlukula, founder of Securico in Zimbabwe, whose company celebrates its 20 year anniversary this week. Now, that’s a milestone!

As Lagos Fashion Week kicks off officially today, we are celebrating Nigeria’s talented women fashion entrepreneurs who are showcasing the best of design at the event. Many of our Lionesses of Africa are going to be taking to the runways during the week, including the Queen of African Haute Couture, Deola Sagoe, founder of House of Deola. Her daughters who head up the Clan fashion brand will also be showcasing their latest collection and joining Deola on the runway. Other Lioness names you might recognize at this year’s event include Eki Orleans, founder of the luxury silk fashion brand that carries her name; global women’s wear and accessory designer, Lisa Folawiyo; Amaka Osakwe, founder of fashion label Maki Oh; and Folake Coker, founder of leading fashion brand, Tiffany Amber, to name but a few. It’s wonderful to see so many of these talented women fashion entrepreneurs putting Nigeria on the global design map. Follow their shows and latest collections at Lagos Fashion Week.  

Over the past few weeks, I have been touring the African continent with our Lioness Lean In events. And in each country I have visited, one common theme has emerged. The need to be open to constant change in business. The hundreds of women entrepreneurs I have met on my travels have shared their personal stories of how they started out in business with one idea, but over time that idea has changed several times. It could be due to changing market conditions, or customer feedback, or simply new opportunities emerging to create new products or services. The lesson to be learned is that the path to building a business is never a straight one. It’s about enjoying the journey, no matter where it takes you. 

Like many of you, as the final business weeks of the year are upon us, we are keen to make them count in terms of the impact we can make. That’s why we have lined up a packed series of Lioness Lean In events across the continent, giving women entrepreneurs the opportunity to do some final business connecting and networking. November is a really busy month starting with our final event of the year in our South Africa series, so if you are based in Johannesburg make sure to attend this one - it promises to be one of our best yet. We then head off to Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique and Cote d’Ivoire. So if you are trying to break into those countries with your products and services and want to meet fellow women entrepreneurs, come and join us at our Lioness Lean In events. It’s going to be a busy but hopefully great end to the year!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

In a few days time, the winners of this year’s Anzisha Prize will be announced, Africa’s biggest award for the youngest, brightest entrepreneurs on the continent. The award celebrates innovation and looks to recognize and encourage a new generation of young business builders in Africa. It is a reminder, not that one should be needed, that our young people are the future and we should be encouraging them to think more entrepreneurially. We need more young women in particular to consider starting a business that can change not only their own lives, but those around them in their communities and in their families. We should be educating and informing them to consider entrepreneurship as a first choice, not a last resort. They should have access to strong women role models who are successfully building businesses that are making a real difference on the continent. So when we see the bright young winners of this year’s Anzisha Prize being celebrated, let’s use it as a source of inspiration for the thousands of young women in Africa who are waiting to turn their dreams into business realities.

This morning finds me in beautiful Gaborone, Botswana on the latest stop on our Lioness Lean In Tour across the African continent. One of the topics I will be focusing on during my visit will be the importance of collaboration between women entrepreneurs in different countries. Our motto at Lionesses of Africa is Further, Together, and I am a passionate believer in the power of collaboration to get things done, particularly when it comes to breaking into new markets or creating new products. But collaborating can be a real challenge for many women entrepreneurs, and finding other like-minded people to collaborate with can also be difficult. This is when it’s great to belong to a community, where you can connect with people who have a shared vision and goals, and who understand hat we are definitely stronger, together, in business and in life. So my fellow lionesses, let’s be more open to collaborations with each other. Let’s innovate together, bringing our complementary skills to the table. And let’s build a bright entrepreneurial future together as women entrepreneurs. 

While reading a number of articles this past weekend on the subject of sustainability trends in key business sectors, I remembered a quote by design icon Dame Vivienne Westwood, whose mantra is: “Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.” She really understands the importance of shifting consumer attitudes and perceptions towards valuing fewer, higher quality products, which can command higher prices and result in lower impact on the environment. The fashion industry has increasingly come under scrutiny and criticism for its throwaway approach to clothing manufacture, which has a devastating carbon footprint. Today, attitudes are slowly beginning to change with customers becoming interested in durable design, created by passionate artisans with interesting and personal backstories rather than faceless factories. This trend is creating new opportunities for customization, with a return to bespoke, made to measure clothing that reflects the wearer’s personality. This is great news for the thousands of talented women design entrepreneurs across the African continent who have been building their businesses and their reputations based on this approach for years. Their time has come!

Today I have fashion on my mind! It’s because it’s the height of the fashion showcase season across the African continent this month and I am hearing lot’s of good things about the talented women fashion entrepreneurs in the Lionesses of Africa community who are taking their latest collections to the runways. SA Fashion Week and Lagos Fashion Week both start next week, two important showcase events. Interestingly, the business of fashion is taking centre-stage at this year’s Lagos Fashion Week as this year’s theme is titled ‘The Importance of Platforms’. Discussions will be taking place about how fashion entrepreneurs need to leverage various retail and digital platforms to get their brands and their collections out to market. It’s about catalyzing economic growth by maximizing opportunities and platforms to connect products and brand messages to customers across the African continent and beyond. 

This weekend saw one of the highlights of Africa’s contemporary artisan design scene with the annual Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa. Once again, the event highlighted the importance of celebrating and showcasing some of the most innovative makers and crafters on the continent, many of them women entrepreneurs. The theme of the event, ‘A Return to Making’, echoed the growing global trend towards artisan entrepreneurship. Visit any major city around the world right now and you are more likely to see independent artisan brands and businesses emerging and tapping into a growing, increasingly conscious, customer base. Africa’s talented and innovative women artisan brand builders are well positioned to take advantage of this trend, accessing not just local but also powerful global markets with their world class products. 

Never underestimate the power of women entrepreneurs to turn opportunities into business. This morning, my email inbox was bursting at the seams following my trip this week to Harare in Zimbabwe to launch our Lioness Lean In events in the country. It was wonderful to hear the feedback from women who had attended the event who were now connecting with fellow women business builders and collaborating or doing business. This is what we are passionate about at Lionesses of Africa - we partner with visionary big companies who want to see economies thrive in Africa, and we create the opportunities for women entrepreneurs to meet and do business. But it’s worth remembering that success depends on how we maximize those opportunities and turn them into action and ultimately business. 

As I travel around the African continent, meeting incredible women entrepreneurs, one key question keeps coming up in conversation. How do we get access to new market opportunities and new clients for our businesses? And it is a key challenge for so many of us. If our businesses and products are not visible, it is hard to be noticed in the marketplace. We need to take every opportunity to put ourselves, our businesses, and our products and services out there - to get people talking. That’s why at Lionesses of Africa, we encourage all of you to use our platforms to showcase your businesses. Start by sharing your Startup Story and get your business connected with thousands of our readers across the African continent and the Diaspora. If you are launching a new product or service, tell us about it and we will showcase it on our powerful Lioness Launch platform. If you are trying to break into a new country market, then be part of our Lioness Lean In event programmes across the African continent. Remember, you are part of a fast growing community of women entrepreneurs across the African continent, and that’s a powerful marketplace.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

What a week this has been in Harare, Zimbabwe and what an amazing community of tenacious and driven women entrepreneurs I met at our first Lioness Lean In event there. The country may be going through challenging economic times once again right now, but I have no doubt that these women business builders are going to be the real change-makers going forward. There was a spirit of mutual support, of cooperation, and a real appreciation of the fact that as women entrepreneurs, we are stronger, together and go further, together. On a personal level, I am looking forward to being back in Zimbabwe again very soon and to bringing each and every one of these impact-driven women entrepreneurs into our Lionesses of Africa community where we can support them on their journeys. Thank you Lionesses of Harare for the difference you are making!

Entrepreneurship means continually looking for new opportunities, inventing new things, pushing boundaries and breaking into exciting new markets. That’s why this morning, we are in Harare, Zimbabwe, to meet with some of the country’s most successful and up-and-coming women entrepreneurs. We look forward to showcasing them and connecting their businesses, products and services to our Lionesses of Africa community around the continent. We are excited because there is a great entrepreneurial spirit in Zimbabwe, and some truly game-changing women entrepreneurs who are creating significant businesses here. It’s going to be a morning of inspiration and some major networking is in store. We can’t wait to get going - let’s Lioness Lean In Harare!