the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
by Lizl Naude
Friendship between women can be the most beautiful thing. It can be a safe place and is very important to your overall well-being. But...it can also be challenging. And as we navigate through seasons and life, it can sometimes also be very heart-breaking.
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by Lizl Naude
Having a retail space is a huge responsibility and not one I thought I would get so soon. But in October 2021, I was offered a great deal on a small space, and I decided to take the leap of faith and open up shop! I was both terrified and excited at the same time! After a few weeks of renovation, we officially opened on 19 November 2021.
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by Lizl Naude
Woman, stop being emotional about your business! If you are a woman in business, you might feel offended by this! How can you say that Lizl? Well, as tough as it is to say...it's time to put the emotions away! And believe me, I am preaching to myself!
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by Lizl Naude
Recently in the span of 48 hours, I received complaints from two individual customers about product breakages. Because I am so pedantic about delivering a quality product, I was initially completely stunned. It felt like a barrage coming my way. I remember a heat rush going to my head, as I tried to make sense of it all. I took a deep breath and took a 5 minute walk before I replied.
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by Lizl Naude
Do you keep a timeline of the history of your business? Have you ever thought of doing it? What is a timeline you ask? According to the Oxford dictionary, a timeline is…
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by Lizl Naude
2021 is underway and it couldn’t have arrived sooner and come as a lifeline for most, as we all struggled to make sense of 2020. Just imagine we didn’t have TIME. Or imagine that we didn’t measure time in years and it just kept on going - an on-going year that never ended!!!
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by Lizl Naude
She asks politely, “How is business?” Maybe you think you care when you ask, but ironically this could arguably be one of the most insensitive questions to ask an entrepreneur. I look at her and in a matter of seconds all my entrepreneurial challenges flash before my eyes. I smile and say, “Business is great! Thanks for asking!”
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Lizl Naude, founder, Lilly Loompa (South Africa)
Learn to ground yourself…
Lizl Naude, founder, Lilly Loompa (South Africa)
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
If there is one thing this pandemic and subsequently this lockdown has confirmed, is that I am a TOTAL homebody! I am in my absolute element being at home.
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
I was watching the after-show of the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Tokyo on TV recently, and I experienced goosebumps as I watched South Africans from all walks of life sing “Shozoloza” in unity outside the stadium. It was electrifying and heart-warming. Sometimes we focus so much on what makes us different from each other, that we tend to forget how similar we actually are, and what makes our country so unique.
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
Do you remember the first time you fell in-love? Do you remember the excitement and the thrill of the “chase”? It could be compared to a pursuit and it usually begins when a person shows interest in another and is incredibly attracted to him/her. A thrilling period then starts, when traditionally the man starts showing his intentions for a romantic relationship by flirting, bringing gifts or verbally expressing his intentions to the woman. Depending on their compatibility or her level of attraction, she will respond eagerly, or she might play hard-to-get. Depending on his level of interest, he will keep romancing her, and if he does and says the right things, he might persuade her to take him seriously and commence a romantic relationship.
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lily Loompa
One would think that the longer you are in business, the less you need to learn, but in fact, quite the opposite is true. None of us can ever say we know it all!
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lily Loompa
In the wide world of entrepreneurship, I am a mere baby still. I have been running my business for just over two years and it has been a great blessing! I have been fortunate to meet a lot of great women along the way, and through our interactions, they all have inspired me.
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
The holiday season signifies such a special time of year and hopefully most of you will have time to rest and recoup after the busy year. As an entrepreneur it is so important to take a well-deserved break without feeling guilty!
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
There is a saying that goes, “Every time you buy a product from a small business, someone literally does a happy dance!” This is certainly very true. Throughout my life I have had an interesting relationship with money. Like some of you, I’ve never had a time when I’ve ever had enough. I grew up in a fairly modest home, and I remember my mother all too often used the term: “Money doesn’t grow on trees!”
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
Are you working really hard to build your business? Are you always on the look out for new opportunities to get income? Do you constantly follow up on clients and try and persuade them to buy your product/service? I have a newsflash for you…you’ve been hustling! Yes…you are a hustler!
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
The other day a friend and I were having a WhatsApp conversation, and we were specifically sending each other voice notes. It was a rainy day here in Cape Town and I was sitting behind my desk working. I assumed she was at her flat where she still lives in Johannesburg. As we were catching up she started venting on how difficult the road of entrepreneurship is.
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results,” someone once said. We are all familiar with the phrase “Out of the box thinking”. According to Wikipedia it is a metaphor that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective. This phrase often refers to novel or creative thinking.
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
Oh, the life of a start-up entrepreneur can be extremely challenging. Juggling a myriad of balls, usually with the smallest of resources! A few months ago I had a conversation with a friend, who generously helps me with my business branding and corporate identity. We spoke about the plans I had for the business and I had so many deadlines looming that I started to feel worn out. He reminded me of how big my plate had become.
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by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa
On Thursday, I had a full day of meetings scheduled in Cape Town City. I had a product-related meeting that lasted three hours till about lunch time. After I was done with my meeting I made my way to the car in the mezzanine parking lot. By this time I was ravenous and I needed to eat before going onto my next meeting. I packed all my sample products and display units in the car and took out the left-overs from supper that I brought from home. I made myself comfortable in the driver seat, and just took a moment to enjoy the peace and quiet and my meal!
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