Impact Partner Content: Absa
Over the past 5 years, women entrepreneurs in South Africa who are looking to grow their businesses have harnessed the power of the Lioness Lean In events to expand their business networks. In the second half of 2019, a new impact partnership between Lionesses of Africa and Absa, took the Lioness Lean In Enterprise events to a whole new level in the country.
For many women entrepreneurs in South Africa, the challenge lies not only in launching a successful business, but also in ensuring an upward growth trajectory that ensures it is sustainable for the long-term. To achieve this goal requires access to finance, access to new markets, access to specialist business growth advisory services, and importantly, access to a network that will provide peer support along the way. The impact partnership between Lionesses of Africa and Absa in the country leverages the existing successful Lioness Lean In event formula, but hones in on the need to provide highly practical support to women entrepreneurs in growth mode.
The Lioness Lean In Enterprise events have to date been rolled-out in a number of key South African cities, including Johannesburg where the first and last events in the series were hosted in August and December; plus Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Emalahleni, Nelspruit and Polokwane. Hundreds of women entrepreneurs have attended the events, benefiting from the opportunity to meet with one another, to connect with specialist Absa business bankers and Enterprise Development advisors, and to hear from successful women entrepreneurs who are already growing their businesses to the next level.
Speaking about the Lioness Lean In Enterprise events in partnership with Absa, Lionesses of Africa Founder and CEO, Melanie Hawken, said:
“Our new impact partnership with Absa is so important, coming at a time when South Africa needs to see women entrepreneurs building high growth businesses that are producing locally manufactured products, offering world-class specialist services, and employing local people. To achieve those goals, they need access to growth funding, access to markets including corporate Enterprise Development opportunities, access to mentors, and access to specialist business advisory services. This partnership with Absa brings their incredible depth of expertise, experience and resources to these high-growth women entrepreneurs when they most need it, meaning they get to grow to their full potential.”
Each Lioness Lean In Enterprise event programme features three successful, high growth women entrepreneurs who share their highly personal stories of how they have built their businesses and overcome the challenges along the way. Question and answer sessions with the audience ensure maximum interaction and information sharing. The programme also features a panel discussion with very experienced women entrepreneurs tackling a range of topics from growth funding and new product innovation, through to people development and global market access. Each event is wrapped up with a specialist executive from the Absa business banking team talking about the range of products, services, and initiatives on offer to women entrepreneurs who are at various growth stages of their businesses.
The Lioness Lean In Enterprise series in South Africa for 2020, in partnership with Absa and Lionesses of Africa, will be announced shortly on the Lionesses of Africa website - www.lionessesofafrica.com
