Entrepreneur Advice from Innocentia Maine - Never let fear get in your way

January 22, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Innocentia Maine, founder of MIS Poultry Farm (South Africa) — **Innocentia Maine**, founder of MIS Poultry Farm (South Africa)

Never let fear get in your way....

"Never let fear get in your way, its just there to hold you back. Women are capable of doing anything they set their minds on, so they must never be afraid of challenges. We just need to think positive, always dream big, and leave no room for negativity."

- Innocentia Maine is the founder of MIS Poultry Farm in South Africa. She is taking her love of farming and building a poultry business that she sees as the first step in creating a multi-faceted successful agribusiness of the future, and one that will hopefully inspire other aspirant women agripreneurs to follow in her footsteps.

Entrepreneur Advice from Pamela Muyeshi: You've got to believe in yourself

January 13, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Pamela Muyeshi, founder of Amaica restaurant, Kenya — **Pamela Muyeshi**, founder of Amaica restaurant, Kenya

You've got to believe in yourself....

“There are less female business owners because, as women, we don’t believe enough in ourselves. If you are not strong-willed, you will not survive in business. A lot of women will start a business but will give up if they don’t have that dedication and strong will,”

- Pamela Muyeshi is the founder of Amaica restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya serving traditional and authentic Kenyan food. Pamela prides herself on providing customers with a real cultural experience woven around authentic African food, the renowned warm African hospitality and a traditional African ambience to complete the picture. Amaica currently has two restaurants in Nairobi.

Entrepreneur Advice from Ruth Kwalanda: Develop skills as you go along

January 11, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Ruth Kwalanda, owner of CIAR Management Institute — **Ruth Kwalanda**, owner of CIAR Management Institute

Don’t be afraid to develop skills as you go along....

"My advice to women entrepreneurs would be: Don’t be afraid to develop skills as you go along. I surround myself with people who are experts in their field to compensate for areas in which I am less experienced. I also know that whatever I don’t know, I can learn as I go along,"

- Ruth Kwalanda is the owner of CIAR Management Institute, a corporate training business and provider of Kenya’s first E-learning platform. Ruth has been a leading provider of human capital development solutions to professionals and business communities in Africa for more than 5 years, facilitating business knowledge and skills transfer through cutting edge conferences, training programmes and e-learning.

Entrepreneur Advice from Carrol Boyes: Get word-of-mouth advertising working for your business

December 30, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Get word-of-mouth advertising working for your business....

“People went to the shop to see what was hot and because my products were displayed there, they were immediately given the stamp of approval. It really all came about by word of mouth. To this day, I believe that is the strongest marketing tool available.”

- Carrol Boyes is an iconic South African designer who has built a global brand. She founded Carrol Boyes (Pty) Ltd in 1991 combining her artistic flair and talent in sculpture with her jewellery experience to create an extensive range of distinctive homeware, giftware, flatware and table top products. Today, her company designs and manufactures a meticulously crafted product range of well over 1000 items and sells over a million items every year. Products are always imbued with Carrol's trademark artistic flair and finesse. The brand is available through her 35 branded shops in South Africa and in over 30 other countries around the world.

Entrepreneur Advice from Ethel Cofie - Stop second guessing and just jump

December 23, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Ethel Cofie, founder of Edel Technologies — **Ethel Cofie**, founder of Edel Technologies

Stop second guessing and just jump....

"Remember the mistakes you make are all part of learning, so instead of overthinking things just do it, and on your way down you will figure it out."

- Ethel Cofie, is a Ghanaian-born entrepreneur and founder of Edel Technologies. This techpreneur is passionate about technology, female leadership and empowering women entrepreneurs. She runs the women in tech group in Ghana and is a founder of the Women in Tech Africa Alliance. In 2014, Ethel was selected to be a President Obama Washington Fellow.

Entrepreneur Advice from Gaby Lobban: Fear is the only thing holding you back

December 21, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Gaby Lobban, founder of Zumbudda (South Africa) — **Gaby Lobban**, founder of Zumbudda (South Africa)

Fear is the only thing holding you back....

"Don't be afraid. Fear is the only thing holding you back. Women are wired to be cautious and thank goodness, but it often holds us back. If you really think you have a good idea or product then go for it, don't let anyone try to distract you from your path. Its easy to say but from my experience in business, very few get it right the first or the second time and failure is part of the process of finding success."

- Gaby Lobban is the founder of Zumbudda in South Africa, a technology company which has launched a website offering REAL-Time eChats with healthcare professionals (Experts) to people looking for advice. Gaby's background is in design and advertising and she has worked in the pharmaceutical, medical and diagnostics industry for 20 years.

Entrepreneur Advice from Mary Miner: Everything takes longer than you think

December 18, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Mary Miner, Co-Founder of Atikus Investments in Rwanda — Mary Miner, Co-Founder of Atikus Investments in Rwanda

Everything takes longer than you think....

"Starting a business is challenging but equally rewarding. Keep at it! Everything takes longer than you think it will but the amount you will learn about business and yourself along the way will change your life - at least it has for me."

- Mary Miner is the co-founder of Atikus Investments, a socially focused enterprise dedicated to expanding access to capital for qualified yet underserved individuals around the world. Mary is responsible for designing and managing Atikus’ social impact initiatives, with a specific focus on financial education partnerships and women’s empowerment goals. Mary has spent extensive time on the ground in multiple African markets, including Morocco, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, and Ghana.

Entrepreneur Advice from Patience Maame Mensah: You don't need huge capital to start

December 17, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Patience Maame Mensah, founder of Indulgence

You don't need huge capital to start....

"You don't need huge capital to start something - just go out there, identify the challenge, and look for ways to solve it. Tell yourself you can do it, and tell God you want to help solve a need, and then just do it with passion. It will be successful someday."

- Patience Maame Mensah, founder of Indulgence in Ghana, an all inclusive home management and maintenance agency that supports home care delivery such as nanny services and aged care, plus personal grooming and relaxation therapies, all provided in the comfort of your home. Patience is an MBA Alumni of the Universita' Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore - ALTIS Graduate School of Business and Society in Milan (Italy).

Entrepreneur Advice from Shanley Knox: Engage clients in your building process

December 15, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Shanley Knox, co-founder of Olivia Knox Collective — **Shanley Knox**, co-founder of Olivia Knox Collective

Tell your story and engage clients in your building process....

"At first, we were hesitant to pitch to potential clients until we had a finished supply chain. But, we quickly learned that our clients had already tried (and failed) to source from the area of the world we were working in, and were eager to share their past mistakes so we could build-off of them as we put our supply chain together. Our strategy shifted toward being a kind of open collaboration with them, as we were honest about our lack of experience, and looked to them to give us the advice and help necessary to make us their best supplier. Many responses we received became the building blocks of our operations."

- Shanley Knox is co-founder of Olivia Knox Collective, a manufacturing collective that is focused on promoting the use of Ankole cow horn in the creation of beautiful products for the luxury markets in Europe and US. They work with design partners in three distinct business segments - Eyewear, Accessories and Home Goods. Shanley began her career as a journalist, focused on human interest stories and went on to work in nonprofit development in rural villages and slums throughout East Africa for five years. Olivia Knox is a combination of all facets of her career, combining storytelling with positive business with the power to transform lives throughout Uganda.

Entrepreneur Advice from Susan Mashibe: What I learnt from Marissa Mayer

November 20, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Susan Mashibe, founder and executive director of VIA Aviation — **Susan Mashibe**, founder and executive director of VIA Aviation

Susan was lucky enough to be mentored by Marissa Mayer the current CEO of Yahoo - what did she learn?....

“What Marissa taught me is to hire smart people who get things done. I saw how important it was to have a healthy team, but to be willing to dismiss bad apples before they contaminate the team. You also have to nurture your team well.”

Entrepreneur Advice from Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola: Rejection is part of the game

November 19, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, founder of WeCyclers, Nigeria — **Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola**, founder of WeCyclers, Nigeria

Don't be put off by rejection, persist....

"Push more! You have to grab things and be persistent. Don’t take things personally. Rejection is part of the game, just keep pushing. Don’t give up. Push more!"

- Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola is an award winning Nigerian social entrepreneur and innovator, and the founder, and founder and CEO of WeCyclers. This Lagos-based company is focused on giving low-income communities in developing countries a chance to capture value from waste and clean up their neighborhoods through an incentive-based recycling program. Bilikiss holds an MBA from MIT and a Masters degree from Vanderbilt University. She is also a 2013 Echoing Green Fellow.

Entrepreneur Advice from Basetsana Kumalo: You can only learn from failure

November 18, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Top advice to women entrepreneurs....

"It will be tough, and you must not be afraid of failing. Know that you can only learn from failure."

- Basetsana Kumalo is a leading South African serial entrepreneur and the founder, executive chairman and CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings. She is best known for co-founding Tswelopele Productions some 14 years ago – one of the first independent television producers in the country that went on to successfully produce Top Billing, a long-running, top rated South African lifestyle television show.

Entrepreneur Advice from Uche Pedro: Look inwards and find your passion

November 16, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Uche Pedro, founder of BellaNaija.com — **Uche Pedro**, founder of BellaNaija.com

Find your passion as an up and coming woman entrepreneur....

“There is no fixed career path. My advice is to look inwards, find your passion, find your niche and go for it! Don’t over-think it. While you are ‘thinking’ someone might launch your idea.”

- Uche Pedro is founder of BellaNaija.com, a company that develops and delivers exciting online content aimed at Nigerian and Pan-African audiences. Uche’s savvy grasp of media trends has led to BellaNaija.com becoming the go-to lifestyle, entertainment and fashion portal in Africa. Her website has established a loyal following amongst the young, cosmopolitan, upwardly mobile set in Nigeria, with over 1 million unique visitors and 9 million page views each month.

Entrepreneur Advice from Sarah Lambie: Focus on innovation

November 13, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Sarah Lambie, Work for Life — **Sarah Lambie**, Work for Life

Focus on innovation....

"... not necessarily in terms of technology but in terms of how you can make your company, service or product stand out above the rest. It doesn’t have to be the best, the least expensive, or have the greatest packaging to be the preferred brand. It simply needs to be unique in a way that brings more value than the competitors to your target market."

- Sarah Lambie is a freelance writer and communications consultant to numerous NGOs in Africa, including Work For Life, an NGO focused on providing essential entrepreneurial training and support to African entrepreneurs, many of whom are women. Based in Uganda, Sarah has developed a deep understanding of the challenges faced by women as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.

Entrepreneur Advice from Malmsey Rangaka: Women must trust they have what it takes

November 4, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Malmsey Rangaka, co-founder and CEO of M’hudi Wines — Malmsey Rangaka, co-founder and CEO of M’hudi Wines

Women must trust they have what it takes to start their own businesses....

"We are actually better suited for business than men. Our natural way of working is inclusive, orderly and emotional. All this clenched teeth aggression of the men simply makes them less effective. So it is incumbent on us to get into business. We do it better. But be prepared for the brickbats though."

- Malmsey Rangaka is co-founder and CEO of M’hudi Wines, a family wine farm located in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The M’hudi wine brands are sold not only in South Africa but also the US, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Nigeria. M’hudi was founded in 1999 by Malmsey and her husband, and is said to be the first black-owned wine tourism farm in South Africa.

Entrepreneur Advice from Adenike Ogunlesi: You must be clear about your target market

October 28, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Adenike 'Nike' Ogunlesi, founder of Ruff 'n' Tumble (Nigeria) — Adenike 'Nike' Ogunlesi, founder of Ruff 'n' Tumble (Nigeria)

You must have a clear understanding of the market you want to operate in....

"When you are a small business, you are the visionary, you can easily test creatively and adjust much quicker than larger companies. Take this advantage and do all you can to stand out and serve your customers consistently. People will notice and stay with you as customers, which will lead to faster long-term growth."

- Adenike 'Nike' Ogunlesi is the founder of Ruff 'n' Tumble a leading designer, manufacturer and retailer of designer children's clothing in Nigeria. Nike started out modestly in 1996 selling the clothes she made from the boot of her car and in bazaars. Today, Ruff 'n' Tumble is an instantly recognisable brand in Nigeria and has a reputation for being one of the top manufacturers of children's clothing throughout West Africa. Ruff 'n' Tumble successfully caters to the unique fashion sense of today’s youngsters, from new born to age 16, happily mixing indigenous lifestyle trends with an international appeal.

Entrepreneur Advice from Pam Golding: There is no secret formula to success

October 23, 2015 Melanie Hawken

There is no secret formula for entrepreneurs to follow....

“There is no secret formula to success … if you are determined, have integrity and passion, show that you care, remain honest and true to yourself and surround yourself with people that you take care to nurture it will lead to success.”

- Pam Golding is one of Africa's most successful women entrepreneurs and an icon of the real estate industry. She founded Pam Golding Properties in South Africa in 1976 with no start-up capital and just a single sales assistant. The company now has over 300 offices in Africa as well as international offices in the UK, Germany, France and Mauritius. It is one of South Africa’s largest independent property trading companies with 2010 turnover of US$1.7 billion. Pam is now retired from active management, but remains the Life President of the company she founded.

Entrepreneur Advice from Kerryne Krause-Neufeldt - Dot your i’s and cross your t’s

October 22, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Kerryne Krause Neufeldt, founder of eyeSlices® (South Africa) — **Kerryne Krause Neufeldt**, founder of eyeSlices® (South Africa)

Build strong foundations....

"dot as many of your i’s and cross your t’s, always keeping the end goal in mind. Do everything from the start as if you were that global corporation, meaning with excellence, high standards, good corporate governance and integrity! Then keep walking and never give up!"

- Kerryne Krause-Neufeldt is founder of South African beauty and wellness company, eyeSlices®, a multi-award winning product range and a global first in Cryo-Gel technology. These cooling and soothing eye gels target puffiness, dark circles, tiredness, redness and wrinkles, and are re-usable up to ten times! Made with natural and organic extracts from the Swiss Alps, they are guaranteed to leave you feeling relaxed, restored and revived within minutes! Kerryne currently exports from South Africa to over 20 countries.

Entrepreneur Advice from Susan Mashibe: Confront challenges with confidence and honesty

October 20, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Susan Mashibe, founder of Via Aviation, Tanzania — **Susan Mashibe**, founder of Via Aviation, Tanzania

Challenges are best met head-on with confidence and honesty....

"As a woman in business, and in a male-dominated field, I have encountered my share of obstacles; from the male airport officials who have blocked my entry to the aircraft I am working on, to clients to whom I must prove myself. I have also had to deal with corrupt officials who insist on being paid bribes for the simplest of tasks. When faced with these challenges, my approach has always been the same: to be confident and honest. I have confidence in my business, and the benefits we bring to clients and to the Tanzanian Government."

- Susan Mashibe is founder and executive director of VIA Aviation, an international fixed-base aircraft services operation and the first company of its kind in Tanzania. Susan is also the first woman in Tanzania to hold both a FAA certified commercial pilot and an aircraft maintenance engineering qualification. This passionate aviator left Tanzania at the tender age of 19 to learn to fly jetliners in the United States, later returning home to help reshape African private air travel.

Entrepreneur Advice from Dr Christel Coetzee: Do not play the 'female' card if you want to be taken seriously

October 12, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Do not play the 'female' card....

"I started a business in a totally male dominated industry, and it was very hard in the beginning. But I persisted, and stayed focused. Integrity is very important, so do not play the "female" card if you do not want to be treated in a sexist way. I am just a person doing a job, I am not male or female, I am the best person to do the job. Now I am the face of my company, and we have loyal customers that support us. I am blessed."

- Dr Christel Coetzee is a South African entrepreneur and the founder and technical director of ADVIT Animal Nutrition. Her company is a market leader in a wide range of specialist animal feeds for all sorts of animals, from domestic pets and horses, through to food-producing farm animals such as pigs, poultry, cattle and sheep. Christel holds a Doctorate in Animal Science from the University of Pretoria.