I was reading a great interview this morning with the global cosmetics powerhouse entrepreneur, Bobbi Brown. For those of you who don’t know Bobbi’s story, in 1991, with just 10 lipstick shades, she launched a cosmetics brand that she would eventually sell to Estee Lauder four years later, and continue working at for more than 20 years after that. When she finally walked away from the company in 2016, she had built a billion-dollar business. And yet speaking about her incredible journey, she says, “I never want another billion-dollar brand. … I never want to go that big again because the headaches that come with it are not worth the rewards.” Today, she loves the freedom that comes with starting small, growing her new businesses organically through bootstrapping instead of investors. She likes the control that comes with being a small business owner, instead of having to report to shareholders. She loves the freedom to be able to connect with her customers. And, she loves being agile and creative. So, the lesson learned is that sometimes small really is beautiful! 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

This week sees me heading off to Cairo to speak at the Women Empowering Africa Forum in Sharm El Sheikh, my final event of the year. It’s part of Africa 2018, the major initiative which aims to promote greater economic integration through increased investment into Africa. I will be a panelist speaking on the topic ‘Preparing the next generation of women leaders in business’. It promises to be an insightful session. I’m looking forward to also seeing many of our Lionesses of Africa exhibiting their products and services at Africa 2018 and will be there to cheer them on. It’s going to be a great way to wrap up the event year. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I had a wonderful conversation with a woman entrepreneur this morning in Abidjan following our Lioness Lean In event, and I thought I would share my reflections on it with you all. We were talking about how to deal with the challenges we face in business, and this remarkable woman entrepreneur said, “there is only one way - keep looking forward. Don’t look back at the problems you are facing. Don’t listen to those people around you who doubt you. Don’t reflect on your disappointments. Just keep looking forward”. I loved this woman entrepreneur’s attitude to life and business. She passionately believes that by focusing on her goals, by staying positive, by removing any negative influences, everything can be figured out. There are always challenges in life as an entrepreneur, but by looking forward and harnessing your drive to get things done, you will succeed at anything. So, eyes forward Lionesses! 

Here’s an interesting fact that I learned about today. Did you know that the month of December this year has something very unusual about it, and it could be good for business. There are five Saturdays, five Sundays, and five Mondays in it - something of a rare occurrence. So if you are one of those women entrepreneurs who does most of her business on the weekends when people are enjoying their downtime, then think of the marketing possibilities. It’s an extra weekend at the peak holiday shopping time of year for customers to connect with you. It’s an extra weekend to get those last sales of the year into your bank account. It’s an extra weekend to get your customers through your doors and into your business so you can build those relationships ready for the new year ahead. So, get your business smarts ready and really make the most of the gift of an extra trading weekend this coming month.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I love the power of words, I always have done from an early age when I first fell in love with storytelling. And as entrepreneurs, words matter. They create powerful ways of connecting our stories with our business, brands and products, and ultimately engaging with our customers. So I love those moments when I hear a word used in a particular way in the entrepreneurial sense. This morning, I was reading an article which talked about the need for entrepreneurs to demonstrate ‘stickability’. What exactly does it mean in the context of women business builders I hear you ask? Well, it’s having the ability to persevere and persist, even in the most challenging of circumstances. Stickability is when everyone around you tells you that your new business idea won’t work, and your gut feel tells you it will. It’s about turning a negative situation that would make most ordinary people give up, into a positive. That’s stickability, and it’s a great trait for women entrepreneurs to have if they want to make it in business.  

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

At our Young Lioness Lean In events across the African continent, I meet so many young women who dream of becoming an entrepreneur. The problem is, they have yet to find a business idea that could work. Often, I share with them the stories of successful entrepreneurs who experienced an unexpected  ‘A-Ha’ moment that led them to business success. That moment when you suddenly experience a problem that needs to be solved, or a gap in the marketplace that needs to be filled. If you are in need of some inspiration for your own entrepreneurial idea, here is how some of the most famous entrepreneurs found theirs. The founder of WhatsApp, Jan Koum, could not afford to telephone his family in Ukraine, and the rest is history. Ingvar Kampard, founder of Ikea, couldn’t fit a table into his car, so he removed its legs, and the most successful flatpack home furnishing company in the world was launched. Sara Blakely was getting ready for a party when she realized she didn’t have the right underwear to provide a smooth look under white pants, and so her multi-billion dollar company Spanx was born. And Brian Chesky, founder of Airbnb, rented out his air mattress to make some extra cash, and a revolution in travel and tourism was born. So, when your ‘A-Ha’ moment happens, make sure you are ready to turn it into a great business idea.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

On my visit to Mozambique last week, I was talking to a group of women entrepreneurs and the topic of how to deal with competition came up in conversation. One of the women talked about the problem of competitors copying her original idea. There was much discussion in the group about the need to create NDAs, copyrights, etc, to prevent competition and other people stealing ideas. However, the reality is that any good business idea will be copied. The best way to protect your business idea is to execute it really well and get to market first. When other people copy your idea, it means there is a market for it. Being first to market gives you a competitive advantage. Once your idea has been successfully executed, keep refining it to ensure your customers stay with you. That will keep you ahead of the game! 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

At Lionesses of Africa we know that every entrepreneur and startup business has a story, and that it can be the most powerful marketing tool when shared with customers. A company’s personal story is the foundation of building a great brand because it resonates at an emotional level with customers. It’s the reason why many hugely successful businesses such as Nike, Microsoft and IBM have employed professional storytellers for decades. But storytelling can also be a high impact tool for startup businesses to connect with their customers, buyers and employees. A strong story, told in a heartfelt way, can be more powerful than an expensive brand advertising campaign. It is also the building block of a great pitch when you are looking to grab the attention of investors. So whether you are just launching your business, or you are getting ready to scale, remember that your story is your most powerful marketing tool. As Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, says, “Today, if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you also have to be a good storyteller.”

So, why not let us help you share your startup story today? We’ve made it really easy to do, just click here to get started.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Being in Windhoek, Namibia this week and hosting our Lioness Lean In event there reminded me of one key fact. Strong entrepreneurial eco-systems for women entrepreneurs are driven by the power of community in every city. It’s about like-minded women entrepreneurs supporting one another, doing business with one another, collaborating with one another, for accelerated and shared success. If there is a formula we have learned at Lionesses of Africa about building a strong community, it includes making connections through regular networking (that’s where our Lioness Lean In events play their part), the power of storytelling to share experiences and knowledge, and practical entrepreneur support to help businesses to develop and grow. Above all, it’s about creating a genuine sense of community that is for women entrepreneurs, by women entrepreneurs, where everybody benefits. That’s what creates and drives strong entrepreneurial eco-systems for women in cities large and small across the African continent. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

If you have been following my daily blog, you will know that for the past couple of days I have been in Windhoek, Namibia, to host our first Lioness Lean In event there. I had the privilege of meeting some truly inspirational women entrepreneurs building a diverse and fascinating range of businesses. But what was interesting to me, and I have seen this before in cities across the African continent, was how few of these women entrepreneurs knew each other or their businesses - and Windhoek is a small place! This means that lucrative potential business collaborations, partnerships, and product supply opportunities are not being explored amongst the women-owned businesses in the city. It’s a reminder once again about the power of networks to bring people together, and it’s why we created the Lioness Lean In events. They connect women entrepreneurs in cities across the continent so that mutually beneficial business relationships and friendships can be made. And who knows, your next business partner, collaborator, or customer could be right on your doorstep.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

It’s a wonderful morning here in Windhoek, Namibia where Lionesses of Africa will be hosting the first Lioness Lean In event in the country for women entrepreneurs. When we arrived in the city yesterday, and we were chatting to various women business owners and corporate executives, one thing became clear. There are some world-class women-owned businesses and brands here in Namibia, but not enough people know about them, even when they are based in the same city. It reminded me again of why we launched Lionesses of Africa exactly four years ago. We saw a need to showcase Africa’s inspirational women entrepreneurs to the world, to connect them to one another in their own countries and across the continent, and to help them to grow their businesses. So in that spirit, all this month on Lionesses of Africa we will be introducing you to some of the country’s most interesting women entrepreneurs, their businesses and the products and services they create. We hope it will encourage you all to take a closer look at Namibia.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Today, Lionesses of Africa marks yet another milestone on this incredible journey towards realizing our vision of empowering and supporting the growth and development of 1 million women entrepreneurs on the African continent. It is exactly 4 years today since we launched on the first ever Global Women’s Entrepreneurship Day in New York. And it seems like just yesterday! How time flies when you are doing something you are truly passionate about. When we first launched, we had just 10,000 women entrepreneurs in our community, and today we have over 730,000 users in all 54 African countries and across the global Diaspora. And we are just getting started. I would like to say a big thank you to all the inspirational women entrepreneurs in our Lionesses of Africa community who inspire us each and every day. It is a pleasure to know you, to support you, and to watch you all grow on your business building journeys.  I would like to express my unending gratitude to all our supporters and our impact partners who help us to make such a difference to the lives of Africa’s women entrepreneurs. We look forward to embarking on an even greater journey over the coming months and years, and together with can make a real impact. So on this milestone day, I am sending a special Lioness Roar to you all and I look forward to hearing about and celebrating your business successes over the coming year. 

As someone who spends her life traveling to different cities around the African continent and the rest of the world constantly, I am exposed to the sheer size of the luxury goods market. Just walking through airports or city shopping districts, I get to see the proliferation of global luxury brands, from handbags and scarves, to footwear and clothing, all carried and worn as visual status symbols. It’s estimated that the global luxury goods industry is worth more than $1.5 trillion, and it is set to grow year on year. it’s time that Africa’s luxury brand builders got a share of this exciting marketplace. There is no doubt that the continent has a new generation of talented women entrepreneurs creating luxury products and brands with the potential to break through. But getting that all important exposure is key. When we showcased 10 leading women luxury brand builders from the African continent and the Diaspora at our Startup Night! Africa London event earlier this year, the event generated a huge amount of interest. We continue to harness the power of digital media to help expose these high growth potential African luxury brands to the world. It’s only a matter of time before we see them making their mark in key cities globally, taking their place alongside the powerhouse luxury brands that have been around for decades.  

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

This time last year, I was in the US when the annual Small Business Saturday campaign was underway (it takes place on 24 November this year). It is a powerful campaign that encourages all consumers to support small business retailers, small independently owned restaurants and cafes, and other independent local businesses. And as a campaign, it works, it has a real impact. In a country that is built on a foundation of small business (companies with less than 500 workers account for 99.7% of all businesses in the US), it sends a message to the rest of the world that small businesses grow strong countries. In Africa, we need to see the same respect and support for the power of small businesses to make a strong economic impact. As consumers, we also need to recognize that when we buy our products and services from small local businesses, we are helping to grow our local economies and to contribute to all our futures. So, let’s all make conscious decisions to buy our products and services from our fellow entrepreneurs, and contribute to helping Africa fulfill its economic potential.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I have noticed a definite trait amongst many of the women entrepreneurs in the Lionesses of Africa community - and one I am absolutely guilty of myself. We are all very good at making everyone and everything else a priority in our lives, and not taking special care of ourselves. At this time of year, when we are all frantically trying to get things done and projects finished before the end of year holidays, it can be especially stressful. So it’s important to start developing good self-care habits that will help us to better deal with everything that life throws at us. Those habits could include meditating for a short time each morning to refresh the mind, or going for a short walk in the evening to decompress, or perhaps just going to the spa for a pamper session once a week. Personally, my new self-care habit is going to include taking 15 extra minutes each morning, to sit and enjoy a cup of Earl Grey tea while I watch the sun rise before I start working, no matter where I am in the world on my travels. What is your new self-care habit going to be? 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

As many of you will know, this week is Global Entrepreneurship Week, the annual celebration of those tenacious people who launch businesses that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth in their countries, and importantly create jobs. The week is also about inspiring a new generation of young people to explore their potential as self-starters and innovators, and encouraging them to consider entrepreneurship as their first step to making their way in the world. And whilst it's great to have a focused week where the world's attention is focused on entrepreneurship, it's also worth remembering that every single day, entrepreneurs simply get on with the job of building their businesses, creating innovative products and services, and creating much needed job opportunities for others, quietly and without fuss or recognition. That's where the real impact is made and that's worth celebrating. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

It’s that time of year when big and small companies alike look to acknowledge the hard work done over the past 12 months by their valued employees. And that’s when thoughts turn to buying corporate gifts. But let’s think about the potential impact that could be made if those companies sourced and bought their corporate gifts from Africa’s women entrepreneurs, instead of from corporate gifting companies whose mass produced products are sourced from China or other parts of the world. Across the African continent, women entrepreneurs are creating world-class products ideal for corporate gifting, from luxury home decor items, to award-winning leathergoods, jewellery and textiles. Women entrepreneurs are great at creating experiential gifts that excite and entertain stressed out employees, from artisanal chocolate and bread-making sessions, to gin and wine-making educational tours - to name but a few. The added value comes with the unique, impact-driven back-story that comes with every corporate gift produced by Africa’s women entrepreneurs, adding to the feel-good factor. So to all those corporate gifting decision-makers out there, why not think outside of the traditional box and take a look at buying this year’s gifts from Africa’s women entrepreneurs. Your employees and those women owned businesses will thank you for it!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Reading through my online newspapers this morning, I was reminded that this is International Stress Awareness Week. Do we really need a dedicated week to tell us how stressed we are? Stress is something that entrepreneurs have to deal with on a regular basis, it’s part of the deal. So it seems like a good time to share some insights on how best to manage our stress levels as we travel this crazy entrepreneurial journey. Many of the women entrepreneurs I know in the Lionesses of Africa community use the gym, meditation or yoga as their stress reliever. Some, like me, use walking each day as a way of getting fresh air, exercise and a good dose of perspective and clarity. Others harness their stress as a motivator to become more creative and productive. One amazing woman entrepreneur I know has built a business teaching people to use laughter as a way of battling stress.The fact is, there will always be stresses and strains to deal with as entrepreneurs, but the trick is to not let it overwhelm us, and instead to prioritize self-care to successfully deal with it.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

It's always exciting when we visit new countries and cities with our Lioness Lean In events for women entrepreneurs, and this month sees us heading to Windhoek, Namibia on the 20th of November, and we are thrilled at the prospect. Over the past year, we have been showcasing some wonderful women-owned businesses and brands from Namibia and we are seeing some truly world-class products emerging from the country right now, For a small country, it definitely punches above its weight in terms of innovative women's entrepreneurship. All this month, we will be shining a spotlight on Namibia's great women business and brand builders, sharing their stories and introducing their products and services to you all. Some of these names and brands you may have heard of, others not, but what they all share in common is a sense of local pride and a celebration of what makes Namibia unique. So let's Lioness Lean In Windhoek! 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I was reading an interesting article this morning about entrepreneurs who set out to become global influencers in their fields of expertise and, as a result, build really powerful businesses that leverage this influential positioning. It reminded me of Malcolm Gladwell’s groundbreaking book, Outliers, where he introduced “the 10,000-hour rule” to a mass audience. For those who haven’t read the book, the concept is that if you studied one subject for 100 hours you would be a local expert, 1000 hours and you would be a national expert, and 10,000 hours you would be considered a global expert/influencer. Now, 10,000 hours is a huge commitment to make to build your own reputation as a global influencer, but you can become recognized as an expert in your field in a shorter period of time, and that can be great for business. Start speaking at conferences on your area of expertise, write articles or a regular column or a blog, publish a book, or start a podcast. It’s all about making your voice heard and sharing your knowledge and expertise with your audience.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie