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The Reluctant Executive: Making Sense of Social Media

September 12, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Thembe Khumalo

We keep hearing that social media has become a vibrant and influential landscape for getting ahead in your career — some are even calling it a necessary evil. However, many executives remain hesitant to participate, unsure of the “correct” way to navigate it, and even of the value it holds for them. I like to think of social media as one big global cocktail party, where everyone is invited, but attendance is optional. By understanding how the party unfolds, and what different people are doing at the party, you can align your goals with purposeful engagement and unlock the immense potential of social media to support your career and personal goals.

In Guest Blog Tags Thembe Khumalo, Social Media

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“In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”

September 3, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

Well, Andy Warhol got that wrong, didn’t he - no one these days has that long an attention span! But he did come very close and with the advent of the internet, ‘fame’ has become a real possibility for all of us. And so we dream of joining the Creative Economy, getting a zillion ‘hits’ overnight and earning a $million, all before our first pot of coffee in the morning. That is not only Fame, but serious Power as you then start to influence others…

In Team Lioness Tags Social Media

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Is Your Social Media Habit Getting Worse? This Is My Solution

August 20, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

If you're honest with yourself, how much time do you spend scrolling social media? Your intention is to do an innocent 'quick' check-in, but before you know it, you're well over the thirty-minute mark despite having more urgent tasks. This insight has come up repeatedly when I ask my clients to do a time audit of a typical day. These are not fresh-out-of-college graduates but professionals across all levels and industries.

In Guest Blog Tags Lori Milner, Entrepreneurial Mindset, Social Media

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Changes to LinkedIn you need to stop resisting (at least for now)

September 25, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Bronwynne Wiehl

If you think LinkedIn is the new “Facebook for Professionals”, you’d be right. And so what? Here’s why I think it's exactly what we all need right now. As the world plunged into hard lockdown in early 2020, my business transitioned from managing social media accounts to social media coaching. There was a demand to build personal brands online, and more specifically on LinkedIn. Every interaction was suddenly online. Our time, both work and play, was in front of our screens. People were losing jobs and loved ones, even work colleagues. Industries were crumbling. New ones were springing up. The boundaries between work and home were shattered. And this was reflected in the content shared on the different social media platforms.

In Guest Blog Tags Bronwynne Wiehl, Social Media

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Bronwynne Wiehl, a South African social media consultant advising leaders on their content strategies

January 9, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Bronwynne Wiehl, founder & CEO, Conversation Station (South Africa)

Startup Story

Bronwynne Wiehl is the founder & CEO of Conversation Station. Having worked in the corporate sector for over 20 years, she left to start her own social media consulting business. She focuses on giving small business owners and entrepreneurs strategic guidance with their social media brands and presence. Her strength is advising business leaders on content strategies and reputation management. She has a passion for social media engagement and content marketing strategy where she believes storytelling has the ability to change the world.

In Startup Story Tags South Africa, Social Media

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Showing Up On Video is Crucial to Your Social Media Growth

December 19, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Bronwynne Wiehl

Let me start with a question. What do you remember seeing on any social media platform yesterday? Can you name a specific post? Do you remember who posted it? And what was the message? It's not just you. It's tough.

In Guest Blog Tags Bronwynne Wiehl, Social Media

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Andrea Massamba, a Mozambican social media expert helping clients with their digital communication

November 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Andrea Massamba, founder, AM Support - Marketing and Publicity Agency (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Andrea Massamba is a founder of AM Support - Marketing and Publicity Agency in Mozambique, a business she started in June 2020, when she found an opportunity during Covid. She understood that some organizations had to close because of Covid, so she decided to start her business to help the organizations continue to be active on social media, supporting them with their communication, scheduling posts, producing content etc. And now she's growing step by step.

In Startup Story Tags Mozambique, Social Media, Media PR & Communications

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Social Media and the Workplace

May 1, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Kulani Shiluvane, Founder and Chief Consultant at Shiluvah

There is no doubt that social media has been a big part of our everyday lives both at a personal and professional level. However, the lines between the personal and professional when using social media can and have become blurred. We have seen people lose their jobs because of statements that they have made on social media; we have also seen organizations lose both business and credibility due to statements made by those associated with them on social media. We have also seen government departments like the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa ban the use of mobile phones for certain employees as it was hampering levels of productivity. It is therefore vital that the use of social media in the workplace has clear guidelines in order to avoid adverse situations for both parties.

In Guest Blog Tags Social Media, Kulani Shiluvane

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Tania Shedden, a South African entrepreneur creating a sweet new recipe for effective social media

April 30, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Tania Shedden, founder of Sweet Social Studio (South Africa) — **Tania Shedden**, founder of Sweet Social Studio (South Africa)

As entrepreneurs we all know how important it is to build an effective social media presence to engage with customers and get people talking in the most powerful way about our businesses and brands. Yet for many people, it’s hard work and very time consuming. That’s where Tania Shedden, founder of Sweet Social Studio, has the solution.

In Startup Story Tags Online Service, Social Media, South Africa

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Essential Infographic: Who rules Social Media? Answer: Women

September 23, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Image source: Jason Howie via Flickr — Image source: Jason Howie via Flickr

Behind every great social media platform stands millions of great women. And, boy do we women love our smartphones!

According to research compiled by FinanceOnline, which was taken from PEW, Nielsen, and Burst Media, women use social media more often and in more ways then men do. Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter all have more women on the platform than men.

Check out this infographic illustrating how women rule social media.

In Essential Tags Infographic, Social Media

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Tech FoundHER AFRICA CHALLENGE

**MEET THE 10 FINALISTS** — We look forward to announcing the winning women founders **on 19 November 2025.**

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

LATEST PODCASTS

Lioness Radio Show Interview: Listen to Mr Jules Ngankam, Group Chief Executive Officer of the African Guarantee Fund, discussing the journey from Bias to Bankable - AGF’s Case for Financing Women Entrepreneurs.

Lioness Radio Show: Five Mozambican women entrepreneurs share their experiences of building successful green businesses and creating green jobs for local people. From an environmentally-friendly, high-impact skincare brand, to an innovative green transportation business transforming marine waste into bicycles, these Lionesses are making waves in Mozambique. Listen to their stories, learn from their experiences, and be inspired by their tenacity.

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