On 8 November, the Lioness Lean In roadshow returned to Zambia to showcase and empower women entrepreneurs in the city. The event was once again held in partnership with Stanbic Bank at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka, and brought around 80 women business owners from across the city from both the Stanbic Bank client list and also from the Lionesses of Africa network. Lionesses of Africa is one of the fastest growing networks of women entrepreneurs with over 450,000 women business and brand builders in 49 African countries and across the Diaspora.
The hugely popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast Series of events brings together inspirational and successful women entrepreneurs to share, inspire and connect with the next generation of great women-led startups. The Lioness Lean In Breakfast Series is based on a breakfast networking and speaker presentation format that is highly popular with women entrepreneurs in Africa, and which has been organized in different city locations across South Africa and the African continent for the past year by Lionesses of Africa in partnership with Standard Bank Group.
Rosemary Sibisi
Mwansa Mutati
Chanda Katongo
The event kicked off with returning MC for the morning, the vivacious Rosemary Sibisi, an entrepreneur in her own right and host of the TV chat show Style with Roses in Lusaka. Representing the event hosts for the morning, Head of Business Banking at Stanbic Bank Lusaka, Mwansa Mutati, gave a spirited opening welcome and talked about the importance of women entrepreneurs building substantial and sustainable businesses that could help to move the country and the continent forward. Also on the programme was Chanda Katongo, Head of Women’s Banking, who introduced the innovative Anakazi Banking suite of services specifically developed for the country's women entrepreneurs.
Melanie Hawken
Next on the programme, the founder and ceo of Lionesses of Africa, Melanie Hawken, gave an introduction to the mission and vision for Lionesses of Africa to empower and support the growth of 1 million women entrepreneurs on the African continent by 2018. She also announced some of the new innovations currently being launched by Lionesses of Africa over the coming weeks and months that are geared towards practically helping women entrepreneurs to fulfill their potential and to get better connected to great content and resources. These included the launch of the new Lioness Radio Show, a weekly podcast radio programme produced for women entrepreneurs across the continent and powered by Standard Bank.
One of the highlights of the morning’s events were the three women entrepreneurs who shared their inspirational startup stories with the audience. Serial entrepreneur, Miyanda Maimbo, talked about her latest business venture, Pamushana Farm, which is a seedling production company, a very different business from her existing successful executive recruitment company, Prosoft Executive Search; Chisoma Lombe, President and Creative Designer of ChizÓ Designs, shared her incredible journey from chartered accountant to passionate fashion designer, and showcased some of her beautiful designs at the event with a fashion show that delighted the audience; and Dani Hart, Life Coach and Yoga Instructor, shared the story of how her business helps others to find their life purpose and make the most out of life. It was a great morning of inspiration, business startup story sharing, and of course, networking,
Miyanda Maimbo
Chisoma Lombe
Dani Hart
Commenting on the event, Melanie Hawken said: “It is wonderful to be back in Lusaka for this latest in our Lioness Lean In Breakfast event series on the African continent. Our Lioness Lean In events are always a great opportunity for women entrepreneurs to come together and network, to inspire one another, and hopefully build friendships and business relationships for the long term.”
Lionesses of Africa has been rolling out its popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event Series for women entrepreneurs in different locations across the African continent this year, all in partnership with Standard Bank Group and this latest event in Lusaka is the second to be held in Zambia.
For more information on the Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event series in Africa or to learn more about Lionesses of Africa and its work to empower women entrepreneurs across the African continent, contact Melanie Hawken via email melanie@lionessesofafrica.com or visit the website www.lionessesofafrica.com
