Many successful entrepreneurs will tell you that you will meet lots of negative people along your business journey - those who say you will never succeed, or that you should stick to a‘proper job’ in the corporate world, or that your idea will never take off. There are lots of reasons as to why these naysayers will not be supportive. It could be a fear of the unknown and feeling more comfortable in a 9-5 job; or they could simply be ignorant of what the entrepreneurial world is really like; or perhaps they are jealous and don’t want others who are perhaps more adventurous to succeed. Whatever the reasons for their negativity, as an entrepreneur you can’t afford to have such people around you and to have their negative attitude to life rub off on you - you need to stay positive and focused. The highly successful US entrepreneur, Tory Burch, CEO and founder of lifestyle brand Tory Burch, says she learned from her parents to treat such negativity as simply ‘noise' to be ignored and blocked out. Instead she surrounded herself with people who would lift her higher – and she reaped the rewards. A good lesson for all of us to learn!

100 Lionesses: Flying Doctors Nigeria founder, Dr Ola Brown, honoured with Aviation Most Remarkable Medical Personality Award

In recognition of Flying Doctors Nigeria’s role in saving lives during critical and emergency situations in sub-Sahara Africa, Dr Ola Brown, the company's founder has been bestowed with the prestigious 2017 Aviation Most Remarkable Medical Personality Award by the Nigeria Aviation Awards (NIGAV) held last month.

Divine Ndhlukula wins Zimbabwe's private sector leader of the year award

Women dominated the Zimbabwe Institute of Management 2017 Leadership Excellence awards that were presented in Harare this month, with Securico Security Services founder, Divine Ndhlukula, picking up the prestigious Private Sector Leader of the Year award. She received the award for her ongoing contribution to management excellence in the country in the preceding year and for being an example and inspiration for others to emulate.

100 Lionesses: Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of Gorilla Conservation Coffee wins prestigious SEED Award

Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of Gorilla Conservation Coffee, the game-changing for-profit social enterprise which aims to improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers whilst at the same time protecting mountain gorillas in Uganda, has just been recognised by this year’s prestigious SEED Awards.

Awards and Accolades: 5 Young Women Entrepreneurs Recognized by the Keroche Foundation Young Entrepreneurs Mentorship Programme

The Keroche Foundation Young Entrepreneurs Mentorship Program is one of the tangible ways that leading Kenyan entrepreneur, Tabitha Karanja, founder of Keroche Breweries, is fulfilling her vision of empowering a new generation of young entrepreneurs in her country. Five young women entrepreneurs have just been recognized for their business building activities in the second cohort to graduate from the program.

100 Lionesses: Divine Ndhlukula appointed new Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce President

This month saw the appointment of Divine Ndhlukula, founder of game changing security services company, Securico, as the new Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) President, a post she will occupy for the next two years. She has committed to dedicating her time at the helm of the ZNCC to furthering the cause of small to medium sized enterprises, something close to her heart as an entrepreneur. Divine said: “It will be important to note that we will focus on helping SMEs to realize their full potential as they now anchor the country’s economy. In the same vein, we will also strive to ensure that the country’s economy can realize its full potential.”

Sarah Collins and Wonderbag collaborate with Pfizer Vaccines to positively change lives in Ghana

In the Upper East Region of Ghana, cooking is a dangerous and time-consuming daily activity. Results from a self-reported survey indicate that women spend two hours a day gathering fuel and water, followed by up to four hours standing over open fires1. Exposed to cooking smoke for hours each day, women and small children can be at higher risk for deadly diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, heart disease and lung cancer.

Like She Owns the Place by Cara Alwill Leyba

Like She Owns The Place is the long-awaited sequel to Girl Code, from one of the rock stars of the female empowerment movement. Cara Alwill Leyba's riveting voice and kinship with her audience drove the self-published success of Girl Code, a book that encouraged women to support each other in the business community. Now her many fans are ready to take the next step: building sustainable confidence from the ground up.

Women Who Launch by Marlene Wagman Geller

Dorothy Parker observed, “It’s a man’s world”, yet the women entrepreneurs and game-changers profiled in Marlene Wagman Geller’s book, Women Who Launch would beg to differ. This collection of inspirational stories and biographies of game-changing women is a testimony to women empowerment in the world.

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