Siyamthanda Maya, an energy sector specialist building a wholesale petroleum products business in South Africa

March 13, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Siyamthanda Maya, founder, ZAS Petroleum (South Africa)

Startup Story

Siyamthanda Maya is the founder of ZAS Petroleum, a licensed wholesaler of petroleum products specialising in imports of Crude, Diesel and Unleaded petrol, as well as exports of diesel and lubricants. She is a seasoned business professional in the energy sector with extensive experience in both Utility Management and the Oil and Gas sector. Siya is a personification of diligence, determination, and skill, attributes which have contributed to her current achievements. She has successfully founded and run two energy entities and led Multi-Billion-rand infrastructural programs. A big believer in credible skills transfer and development, Siya is a supporter of women skills development and community enablement. She holds a BTech in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch Business School.

Selusiwe Lukhele, an entrepreneur creating a vibrant cafe hub for local people to meet and connect in Eswatini

March 13, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Selusiwe Lukhele, founder, Happiness Junction Cafe (Eswatini)

Startup Story

Selusiwe Lukhele is an entrepreneur from Eswatini and the founder of Happiness Junction Cafe, an award-winning youth-owned business launched in 2021 and known for its warm hospitality and innovative offerings. A 2023 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards winner, Selusiwe was selected for the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed an intensive six-week program focused on business leadership, entrepreneurship, and networking with global change-makers.

Dear Entrepreneur: Start Where You Are by Shemia A Williams

March 12, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

In her new step-by-step workbook, Dear Entrepreneur: Start Where You Are, Shemia A Williams is your guide to building a solid foundation for your brand or business, whether you're starting for the first time or catching up. It is a book that combines actionable insights with heartfelt advice—designed to guide entrepreneurs toward success and purpose.

The Strange Value of Staying in Doubt: How Uncertainty Keeps Us From Change

March 12, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Seanice Lojede

I was recently invited to speak to a group of women entrepreneurs at GIBS University in South Africa. Part of the conversation was around Impostor Syndrome and decision making. How do you know when to take certain decisions both personal and business, and the doubt that comes with it? So I shared something I have learned the hard way…

The Bittersweet Symphony of AI and Humanity in Your Brands’ Colour Therapy

March 11, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Marilize Jacobs

Colour therapy in branding is the strategic use of colours to evoke emotions, influence perceptions, and shape consumer behavior through your marketing and brand identity. It is rooted in colour psychology, which studies how different colour hues (shades) affect human emotions, decisions and associations.

The Importance of Written Contracts for Small Businesses

March 11, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Taryn Blignaut

This article sets out the importance of having a written agreement to regulate your transactions as a small business. We also cover some of the benefits of putting in place a customised legal template for your business.

Customer Service Excellence: Ensuring Consistency in Multi-Channel Customer Interactions

March 9, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Dr Michélle Booysen

“Consistency is what transforms average into excellence.” – Tony Robbins

Businesses engaging with customers across multiple platforms—email, social media, chat, and phone—must ensure a seamless and consistent experience. Inconsistent responses, delayed replies, or mixed messaging can confuse customers and harm brand credibility. Here’s how to maintain consistency across all customer touch-points.

What we're loving this week

March 2, 2025 Melanie Hawken

What we’re loving this week

In this week’s celebration of all things Woman Made In Africa, we are showcasing Africa’s talented and innovative women entrepreneurs who are creating world-class luxury gift items that the world wants to buy. Catching our attention this week are: Taíla Carrilho, co-founder of Ruum Gallery and founder of Atelier Taila Carrilho in Mozambique; Bernadette Umunyana, founder of Dokmai Rwanda in Rwanda; Sarah Collins, founder of Wonderbag in South Africa; Adèle Dejak, founder of Adèle Dejak in Kenya.

Selam Wondim Gebremedhin, a serial entrepreneur building a tech business that turns gaming into more than entertainment

March 2, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Selam Wondim Gebremedhin, founder, Gomida Solutions (Ethiopia)

Startup Story

Selam Wondim Gebremedhin is the founder of Gomida Solutions in Ethiopia, a gamified super-platform that seamlessly integrates gaming, brand engagement, and interactive experiences. The business, launched in 2024 and creating jobs for 11 people, develops hyper-casual games that entertain, educate, and reward players while providing brands, influencers, and developers with innovative ways to engage and grow their audiences. The platform transforms gameplay into impact—enabling users to play, learn, and earn within familiar social media and messaging ecosystems, eliminating the need for additional downloads.

Zenzile Silvia Mabitsela, an agrifood business focused on food security and sustainability in South Africa

March 2, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Zenzile Silvia Mabitsela, founder, Masana Generation Project (South Africa)

Startup Story

Zenzile Silvia Mabitsela is the founder of Masana Generation Project in South Africa, a poultry farming business specialising in broiler chickens, crop production, and rabbit production. She is a leader and social entrepreneur, a farmer, and a public speaker, who likes to work with local communities. Zenzile is passionate about her work and has an openness to learning and implementation in her business. She registered the business in 2014 and started operations full-time in 2018.

Mother / Founder: 68 Women on the Trials and Triumphs of Starting a Business and Raising a Family by Amanda Jane Jones & Jennifer Fernandez

March 2, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

The book, Mother / Founder: 68 Women on the Trials and Triumphs of Starting a Business and Raising a Family, by Amanda Jane Jones & Jennifer Fernandez is an inspirational and empowering celebration of more than sixty women who are both dedicated mothers and successful entrepreneurs. Starting a business can be daunting, scary, and exciting, all at once; so too can starting a family. But they can coexist, as the incredible roster of women in this book demonstrates. Entrepreneurship can be both a sustainable and fulfilling model for working motherhood.

Claire van Enk, a visionary entrepreneur tackling food loss

March 2, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Farm to Feed, a Kenyan enterprise aggregating imperfect/surplus produce, creating market demand, and selling to customers via a digital platform

Farm to Feed is a game-changing Kenyan enterprise revolutionizing the way we approach food waste and surplus produce. Co-founded by Claire van Enk, this innovative business aggregates imperfect and surplus produce, creating a fresh market demand and delivering it directly to customers through a digital platform. By addressing food loss, boosting farmer incomes, and improving food affordability, Farm to Feed is making a tangible impact on both the environment and local communities—cutting greenhouse gas emissions along the way.

Nature abhors a vacuum

February 25, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

Last weekend we highlighted that William Warshauer of Technoserve wrote (here): “Since 1960, the world has spent roughly $5.7 trillion on foreign aid…Of that enormous sum, how much has been effective in fighting poverty? The shocking truth is that we don’t really know.” “…we don’t really know.” - How is that possible?

Do no-experience-required jobs need background checks?

February 25, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Jenny Reid

Queue of thousands shows desperation at South Africa job crisis. What does desperation cost our country? Many in our country are really struggling but desperate times create desperate measures. Don’t skip your processes in place to address risk. Regardless of how desperate a person may be, make sure you verify details on the job application thoroughly. Every time.

More Than a Logo: The Human Side of Brand Success

February 24, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Margaret Hirsch

In business, success isn’t just about having the best products or the biggest advertising budget—it’s about building genuine relationships. People buy from those they know, like, and trust. That’s why, for the past 46 years, Hirsch's Homestore has been more than just a brand; we’ve been a family, a community, and a trusted partner in homes across the country.

Customer Service Excellence: Scaling Customer Support Without Losing the Personal Touch

February 24, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Dr Michélle Booysen

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Delivering personalized customer support is essential for building strong relationships and retaining customers. However, as the business grows, responding to inquiries efficiently while maintaining a personal touch can be challenging. The key is to balance automation with human connection.

Educating Africa: Celebrating 12 women edupreneurs who are empowering children and youth with knowledge and skills to equip them for the future

February 16, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Spotlight

Africa needs great educators, committed people who are passionate about helping children and young people to learn and fulfill their potential, equipping them to make a positive difference in the world. At Lionesses of Africa, we are celebrating women entrepreneurs who are creating leading-edge technologies and new approaches to education to make a real difference to the lives of new generations of children and young people across the African continent.

What we're loving this week

February 16, 2025 Melanie Hawken

What we’re loving this week

In this week’s spotlight on all things Woman Made In Africa, we have given a nod to Valentine’s Day celebrations, showcasing Africa’s talented and innovative women entrepreneurs who are creating world-class luxury gift items that the world wants to buy at this time of the year. Catching our attention this week are: Frances Edwards, founder of House of Cinnamon in South Africa; Zainab Ashadu, founder of Zashadu in Nigeria/UK; Lucy Beard, co-founder of Hope Distillery in South Africa; Djamila Machava De Sousa and Wacy Zacarias, co-founders of Karingana wa Karingana in Mozambique; and Selassie Atadika, founder of Midunu Chocolates in Ghana.

Ronel and Dr Marli Jooste, two impact-driven South African entrepreneurs on a mission to guide others on their journey toward holistic wellbeing

February 16, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Ronel Jooste and Dr Marli Jooste, co-founders, PhysEQFiT Wellness & Leadership Development (South Africa)

Startup Story

Ronel and Dr Marli Jooste, two sisters and co-founders of PhysEQFiT Wellness & Leadership Development, a business focused on Transforming People. Transforming Workplaces, and Transforming Leaders. The name, PhysEQFiT, implies the importance of overall wellbeing, including Phys = physical wellbeing (health, fitness, nutrition, brain health, stress management, burnout), EQ = emotional wellbeing (personal mastery and growth, whole-brain thinking, neurocoaching, mental health, team dynamics, mediation etc, Fi = financial wellbeing, and FiT = all these aspects need to be in balance to enhance your overall performance, leadership capacity, wellbeing and lifestyle. The business was founded in 2015 and employs 5 people.

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