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Melanie Hawken, founder and ceo of Lionesses of Africa
It’s clear that women’s entrepreneurship in Africa has reached a tipping point and can certainly no longer be seen as a passing fad, raising the odd eyebrow and resulting in the occasional eye-catching newspaper headline. It’s a fundamental economic force that will reshape the economies of Africa.
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The Decade of the Woman Entrepreneur in Africa means great opportunities for women to make an impact, writes Melanie Hawken, founder and ceo of Lionesses of Africa.
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I read a really interesting article this week, written by Richard Florida in The Atlantic Monthly’s City Lab column, on the findings from the 2015 edition of the Startup Genome Project from Compass, which provides a new ranking for the world’s leading startup cities. The report is based on data from 11,000 global startup companies and interviews with more than 200 entrepreneurs worldwide. Its ranking gauges the world’s leading startup ecosystems—the broad infrastructure of talent, knowledge, entrepreneurs, venture capital, and companies that make up a startup community. The report measures these ecosystems based on their quality of talent, pool of venture capital resources, experience and mentorship provided by startup founders, market reach of their companies, and the ultimate performance and exit value of their companies. So, the big question is where is Africa on the list? The answer is, nowhere right now!
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Having spent the last few weeks speaking at various conferences about women's entrepreneurship and the work of Lionesses of Africa, and having the pleasure of meeting so many dynamic and inspirational women entrepreneurs, one thing has become crystal clear. This is the most exciting of times for women entrepreneurs in Africa. There is a reason why this has been called ‘The Decade of the African Woman Entrepreneur.’
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Africa’s entrepreneurship landscape could be set to rapidly change for women, if its women ‘gazelle’ entrepreneurs are supported in their efforts to spearhead a new spirit of innovation and growth across the continent. Gazelle entrepreneurs are defined as those businesses that have increased their revenues 20% annually for at least four years, starting from a base of US$1 million. Here in Africa, women gazelles are high-impact entrepreneurs, and represent a different breed of woman entrepreneur on the continent.
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In today's increasingly fast-paced world, there is a quiet revolution taking place, one that looks to create a more meaningful approach to life. The Slow Movement celebrates all things lovingly handmade, beautifully handcrafted, and above all produced ethically and in a manner that is kind to the environment. Africa's talented women entrepreneurs, makers and crafters are poised to show the rest of the world how it is done.
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Across Africa, the number of women embarking upon hugely personal journeys to launch exciting new businesses is on the rise - and with it is the number of women juggling the demands of being entrepreneurs with their equally demanding roles as Moms. Yet, when you think about it, it’s no great surprise - women, and especially those who are Moms, are essentially hard-wired to multi-task, they do it everyday of their lives.
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After years of global economic pressure and lots of business uncertainty in the marketplace, there are signs of a new wave of optimism amongst entrepreneurs, and interestingly, this charge is being led by millennials who want to do things differently. It would appear that more and more young people are seeing entrepreneurship as a first choice career, not simply something to fall back on if that big corporate job doesn't materialise. For this increasingly influential group of global citizens, it would appear that being your own boss is definitely high on the lifestyle and career wish-list.
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What entrepreneur or business start-up doesn’t spend hours, days, weeks, months, even years trying to perfect a new concept, product or business idea before launching it to market? We have perhaps all been guilty of this trait at some point in our entrepreneurial lives, hanging on to the notion that our first foray into the world of business should be on the back of something 100% perfect that we can be proud of and attach our name and reputation to. Yet, the stark reality is that often speed to market is everything - not perfection.
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So, you are maybe sat there right now, contemplating life as a solopreneur, and working out how to turn that great business idea you have been thinking about for months into a reality. However, before you take that huge leap into the unknown and make that shift from corporate or home life into the world of business, there are a few basic steps to take that will improve your odds of success.
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Hivecolab, co-working space for startups, techies, and entrepreneurs in Kampala
Let’s face it, one of the biggest challenges for many solo-preneurs in the early days is managing to keep the momentum going, particularly when it comes to instilling a sense of work scheduling discipline in our daily lives. Without the familiar routine of going to the office at a set time each day, sitting at a desk, and going through the daily grind, many of the factors that motivate people to become solo-preneurs in the first place, there is often the danger of not really achieving the level of productivity that we need if our solo-businesses are to be the success they deserve. So, what is the solution?
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WHY AFRICA NEEDS MORE WOMEN STARTUPS IN 2015
Africa has major socio-economic challenges that require rapid and innovative solutions, and the emergence of more women entrepreneurs and the growth of more women-owned businesses potentially offers the solution. So, what is holding women back from starting new entrepreneurial ventures and driving the African economy and society forward? Is it their own reticence or the apparent lack of support from the business and financial world?
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The much-anticipated 2015 edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Index has just been published by the GEDI Institute, to coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week. For sub-Saharan Africa, there is both good news and bad news in this year’s report.
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This month sees the increasingly important subject of women’s entrepreneurship becoming top of mind, with the launch of the inaugural Global Women’s Entrepreneurship Day taking place on 19th November.
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Entrepreneurship can have a powerful impact on the future growth of economies around the world. One of the most exciting developments is the role of women entrepreneurs as the drivers of this new entrepreneurial spirit.
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My early morning heroes, Patrick, Brian and Dave, the amazing barista's at my local coffee spot, serve me up an early morning "Lioness". Their artistry and ever cheerful mood always gets my day started on just the right note. Purrrrr!
If, like me, you start your entrepreneurial day with a cappuccino, then you are part of a growing global trend of coffee shop entrepreneurs who use this relaxed environment to network, brainstorm or just work quietly amongst other like-minded entrepreneurial souls.
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