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Lionesses of Africa

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The Pride of Africa's Women Entrepreneurs

the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs

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Impact Founder: Inspirational stories of entrepreneurs who risk everything for what they believe in by Kristin R Darga

June 15, 2019 Melanie Hawken
Kristin Darga

Kristin Darga

After there were two suicides of startup founders and the sudden death of a third, Kristin Darga created Impact Founder to do whatever she could to help alleviate the feelings of inadequacy, isolation, stress, depression and suicide among founders by sharing real stories of real entrepreneurs’ struggles and successes. Her book, Impact Founder, tells real stories of entrepreneurs to help all of us understand that we are not alone with the challenges. Through Impact Founder, she is on a mission to make sure another entrepreneur isn’t lost due to isolation, feelings of inadequacy, failure, or for any other reason. Self-doubt is part of life and sometimes entrepreneurs face the issue alone and lose their perspective.



Author quotes

I invite you to  see yourself somewhere in this book, and potentially more than one place, and take solace in the fact that the person you are relating to survived to tell their story. What this book accomplishes is a look at the range of issues from self-doubt to overwhelm to the internal battles of all kinds that entrepreneurs face. 

I am reminded of the definition of courage that is often attributed to our military members... "It's not that we're not scared, it's that we did it anyway."   And with that definition in mind, I invite you to come in and share the stories in the book, share your story on our platform, learn from others, help others learn from you, and let's create a real dialogue to make sure that what happened to the three entrepreneurs who inspired this book never happens again.

I am on a mission to make sure we never lose another entrepreneur due to isolation, feelings of inadequacy, failure, or for any other reason.  Self-doubt is part of life and sometimes entrepreneurs face the issue alone, and lose their perspective.  As the leader of a movement to build real entrepreneurship - to empower entrepreneurs to keep making change in the world and to not give up - I know it is important to share vulnerably. This is the story of what lead me to create Impact Founder™.

About the author

Kristin Darga, Founder of Impact Founder™, is an executive coach who guides and supports entrepreneurs to break the code of what's holding them back from success. After her ex-boyfriend almost took his life and she heard about a number of founder suicides, Kristin took action and created Impact Founder,  a global multi-media movement to create an authentic entrepreneurship community. This growing community supports and empowers entrepreneurs to combat isolation through connection and support each other through the struggles to make a lasting impact.  

www.impactfounder.com 


Why LoA loves it….

As entrepreneurs, we all know that this business building journey we are on can be a tough one, challenging us each and every day, pushing us to the limits and back - ultimately, it can also be a very lonely journey. We all need people around us that can help to keep us on track, to be there when we lose perspective and hope, and to boost our confidence and energy when we need to keep going. This book is an incredibly honest, inspirational platform through which to share stories of those who have made it through the toughest of times and come through the other side in business and in life. It is a great read for all those who sometimes feel the isolation and pressure of choosing this crazy entrepreneurial life and who need to know that it is all possible with perseverance and the right support.  --- Melanie Hawken, founder and ceo of Lionesses of Africa

In Essential Tags Books
← Marie-Paule Tano, an entrepreneur with a passion for Cote d’Ivoire creating a luxury jewellery and accessory brand inspired by African art and cultureThe biggest risk for the entrepreneur is being unable to work due to illness, trauma or force majeure →
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Tech FoundHER AFRICA CHALLENGE

Five female founders win over $100,000 in TechFoundHER Africa Challenge. Read more


CELEBRATING 10 YEARS


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IMAGE OF THE DAY. CELEBRATING WOMAN MADE IN AFRICA.

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Made in Rwanda Accessories…A passion for handcrafted accessories, combined with a sense of pride for ‘Made in Rwanda’ products, inspired Dokmai Rwanda founder, Bernadette Umunyana, to create a comp
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Pure chocolate heaven…If you are a chocolate lover, then you need to experience raw chocolate at its finest, and Dana Mroueh, founder of MonChoco an artisan chocolatier in Côte d’Ivoire, has just what y
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Sculpted statement jewellery…If you want to make a statement with your accessories, then these uniquely crafted pieces by Rokus London, a fine jewellery brand founded by Marie-Paule Tano, are just for you. Roku
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African Cycling Style…Who says cycling and style don’t go together? If you are a cycling enthusiast and you want to look and feel good whilst you are are on the road, then take a look at the seriously
Image of the Day / Adèle Dejak

Luxury statement accessories…We are big fans of luxury jewellery and accessories made with love and passion on the African continent, and Adèle Dejak in Kenya is the epitome of handmade luxury. The
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An elegant floral gifting idea… Mariana Agness Francisco Eria is a creative force in contemporary floral design. Her business, The House of Agness, is a luxury florist and gifting boutique nestled in Map
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Minimalism x artisan craftsmanship…If you are looking for a contemporary women’s ready-to-wear and bespoke fashion brand interweaving minimalism with artisan craftsmanship, then look no further than Abi
Image of the Day / Dokmai Rwanda

Made in Rwanda Accessories…A passion for handcrafted accessories, combined with a sense of pride for ‘Made in Rwanda’ products, inspired Dokmai Rwanda founder, Bernadette Umunyana, to create a comp Image of the Day / MonChoco

Pure chocolate heaven…If you are a chocolate lover, then you need to experience raw chocolate at its finest, and Dana Mroueh, founder of MonChoco an artisan chocolatier in Côte d’Ivoire, has just what y Image of the Day / Rokus London

Sculpted statement jewellery…If you want to make a statement with your accessories, then these uniquely crafted pieces by Rokus London, a fine jewellery brand founded by Marie-Paule Tano, are just for you. Roku Image of the Day / Eva Sonaike

Vibrant interior design…The striking new interior designs by Eva Sonaike caught our eye this morning. Like the rest of the world, we love the African aesthetic which is increasingly finding its way into global i Image of the Day / Kunjina

Statement designer fashion…We are big fans of Kunjina in Ethiopia, the fashion brand founded by the talented Kunjina Tesfaye in 2017. She launched the brand while she was a university student studying construction t Image of the Day / Dathonga Designs

Traditional craft elevated…We love the impact-driven accessories created by Márcia Nangy O’Connell, founder and artistic director of Dathonga Designs in Mozambique. Since 2010, she has establis Image of the Day / FiveStars Africa

African Cycling Style…Who says cycling and style don’t go together? If you are a cycling enthusiast and you want to look and feel good whilst you are are on the road, then take a look at the seriously Image of the Day / Adèle Dejak

Luxury statement accessories…We are big fans of luxury jewellery and accessories made with love and passion on the African continent, and Adèle Dejak in Kenya is the epitome of handmade luxury. The Image of the Day / The House of Agness

An elegant floral gifting idea… Mariana Agness Francisco Eria is a creative force in contemporary floral design. Her business, The House of Agness, is a luxury florist and gifting boutique nestled in Map Image of the Day / Abiola Olusola

Minimalism x artisan craftsmanship…If you are looking for a contemporary women’s ready-to-wear and bespoke fashion brand interweaving minimalism with artisan craftsmanship, then look no further than Abi

STARTUP STORIES. MEET THE WOMEN WHO’VE LAUNCHED.

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Dr Juanri Jonck and Bernadette Kruger, co-founders of a first-to-South African-market serum-only skincare range
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Júlia Silota, a Mozambican green business builder, focused on environmental waste management
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Matilde Mawelele Rungo, a Mozambican tech-preneur helping to drive digital transformation in the country

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