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Lionesses of Africa

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The Pride of Africa's Women Entrepreneurs

the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs

Lionesses of Africa

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My Piece Of The Pie: A Collection Of Stories From Black Women Entrepreneurs by Shanicia Boswell

January 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken
Shanicia Boswell

Shanicia Boswell

Book Review

One of the best things an entrepreneur can do is tell her story, and that is what author and mompreneur Shanicia Boswell is doing in My Piece Of The Pie: A Collection of Stories From Black Women Entrepreneurs. When a creator vocalizes how she has turned lemons into lemonade, it will in invigorate another to keep going. My Piece of the Pie delivers eight dynamic experiences and perspectives of entrepreneurship from passionately engaging African American female entrepreneurs. Each author curates a piece of her story to reveal the triumphs and sacrifices to demand her piece of the pie.

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Women Going Global: Real-Life Stories of Women Entrepreneurs Doing Business Across Borders by Tonya McNeal-Weary

January 10, 2021 Melanie Hawken
Tonya McNeal-Weary

Tonya McNeal-Weary

Book Review

In her new book, Women Going Global: Real-Life Stories of Women Entrepreneurs Doing Business Across Borders, Tonya McNeal-Weary invites you to be inspired by the stories of trailblazing women who have succeeded despite the societal biases that attempted to hold them back.

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Move the Needle: Yarns from an Unlikely Entrepreneur by Shelley Brander

January 3, 2021 Melanie Hawken
Shelley Brander

Shelley Brander

Book Review

People always ask Shelley Brander, author of the new book Move the Needle: Yarns from an Unlikely Entrepreneur, what possessed her to leave the successful advertising firm she founded with her husband to open a local yarn store. And then they wonder how that one storefront grew into an e-commerce business, and from there into a global movement to Knit the World Together. In Move the Needle, Shelley shares stories from her life to show that you can pursue your life's passions, both personal and professional, no matter how quirky or impossible they may seem to everyone around you.

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Power Your Profits by Susie Carder

December 27, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Susie Carder

Susie Carder

Book Review

Power Your Profits by Susie Carder is a comprehensive, bulletproof start-to-finish plan for taking your business from startup mode to the multi-million-dollar mark, straight from the inventor of the Predictable Success Method™.

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Banking On It: How I Disrupted an Industry by Anne Boden, ceo & founder, Starling Bank

December 20, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Anne Boden, ceo and founder of Starling Bank

Anne Boden, ceo and founder of Starling Bank

Book Review

Banking On It by Anne Boden, ceo and founder of Starling Bank, is the first-hand account of one woman's quest to rebuild Britain's broken banking system. After a lengthy career at the top of some of Britain's leading banks Anne had become disillusioned with the status quo - the financial crash had broken trust in the whole sector but there seemed to be little appetite to make the most of emerging technologies to revolutionize customer experience. Increasingly frustrated with the inertia within the industry she decided to shake things up herself by doing something totally radical - setting up her own bank.

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Winging It: Stop Thinking, Start Doing: Why Action Beats Planning Every Time by Emma Isaacs

December 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Emma Isaacs

Emma Isaacs

Book Review

Winging It by entrepreneur and author Emma Isaacs is a powerful call for women everywhere to forget perfectionism and start winging it. Emma forgot to draw up her life plan. She doesn’t have a list of five-year goals, and she doesn’t believe in work-life balance. Yet somehow she’s managed to found a multimillion-dollar global organization, become a highly sought-after speaker and media commentator, and be recognized as a prominent voice in women’s leadership―all while raising six young children. So how does she do it all? She dives in headfirst and wings it.

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Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable by Jamie Kern Lima

December 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Jamie Kern Lima

Jamie Kern Lima

Book Review

In Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable, Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics, shares the wild but true story of how a once struggling waitress turned her against-the-grain idea into an international bestselling sensation. She eventually sold the company for over a billion dollars and became the first female CEO of a brand in L’Oréal’s 100+ year history.

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The Girlfriend’s Guide to Closing the Deal by Melody Spann Cooper

November 29, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Melody Spann Cooper

Melody Spann Cooper

Book Review

Melody Spann Cooper is one of the USA’s leading female broadcast executives who has mastered the art of Closing the Deal. In her debut book, The Girlfriend’s Guide to Closing the Deal, she shares her story of finding her voice in a male-dominated industry. In this semi-autobiographical work, Melody uses her special brand of warmth, candor and wit as she shares with readers how they can use their power to enhance opportunities as the highest level.

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Solo: How to Work Alone (and not lose your mind) by Rebecca Seal

November 22, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Rebecca Seal

Rebecca Seal

Book Review

Solo: How to Work Alone (and not lose your mind) by author Rebecca Seal is the self-help guide that solopreneurs, freelancers and all those business owners who are now working from home, have been waiting for. It is a practical source of information and advice for all those who need to be happy and productive working from home, whilst at the same time addressing the emotional and mental challenges that working alone can bring.

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Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters by Kara Goldin

November 15, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Kara Goldin

Kara Goldin

Book Review

Don’t let anyone crush your dreams! Whatever you want to achieve, no matter how hard it might seem, you owe it to yourself to read Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters by author and entrepreneur Kara Goldin. Undaunted will inspire you to move past your fears and defy the doubters. It doesn’t matter whether you feel confident; it matters what you actually do.

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Listen Up!: How to Tune In to Customers and Turn Down the Noise by Karen Mangia

November 8, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Karen Mangia

Karen Mangia

Book Review

Savvy business leaders know that the "customer is king”, that’s according to Karen Mangia, author of the new book Listen Up!: How to Tune In to Customers and Turn Down the Noise. The voice of the customer is what matters most in critical business decisions. How are you responding to customer concerns? Your answer is crucial to the growth of your business and your revenues. But are businesses really listening to their customers?

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No Plan B: A Handbook for Incurable Entrepreneurs and Other Rebellious Souls by Heather Thorkelson

November 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Heather Thorkelson

Heather Thorkelson

Book Review

In her brand new book, ‘No Plan B: A Handbook for Incurable Entrepreneurs and Other Rebellious Souls’, Heather Thorkelson is appealing to self-motivated humans willing to trade the "safety" of the 9 - 5 for the freedom to create their own livelihoods. As she documents in this fascinating handbook, Heather makes no bones about the fact that uncertain income, intermittent failure and self-doubt are guaranteed on the entrepreneurial startup journey. So are a deep sense of satisfaction and a well-lived life in event of success.

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Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms by Shellye Archambeau

October 25, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Shellye Archambeau

Shellye Archambeau

Book Review

Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms is the brand new book by Shellye Archambeau, one of Silicon Valley's first female African American CEOs. Full of empowering wisdom, this inspiring leadership book offers a blueprint for how to achieve your personal and professional goals.

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Working From Home: Making the New Normal Work for You by Karen Mangia

October 18, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Karen Mangia

Karen Mangia

Book Review

If you are an entrepreneur who wants to master the delicate art of working from home in the New Normal work and business environment, then the great new book Working from Home: Making the New Normal Work for You by Karen Mangia is the perfect read. Karen provides readers with a detailed strategy on how to turn working from home into a powerful work/life choice.

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The 20% Rule by Catherine Gladwyn

October 11, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Catherine Gladwyn

Catherine Gladwyn

Book Review

According to author and entrepreneur, Catherine Gladwyn, as she details in her new book The 20% Rule, life can and does get in the way of our greatest dreams and plans sometimes. And she knows this from first hand experience.

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Supermaker: Crafting Business on Your Own Terms by Jaime Schmidt

October 4, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Jaime Schmidt

Jaime Schmidt

Book Review

In just seven years, entrepreneur Jaime Schmidt, founder of Schmidt’s, the globally successful plant-based natural deodorant, went from making natural products in her Portland, Oregon kitchen to turning her brand into a household name in 30,000+ stores, and selling her company to Unilever in a nine-figure acquisition. Her new book, Supermaker, is Jaime’s guide to business and career development on your own terms.

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Launching While Female: Smashing the System That Holds Women Entrepreneurs Back by Susanne Althoff

September 26, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Susanne Althoff

Susanne Althoff

Book Review

In her brand new book, Launching While Female: Smashing the System That Holds Women Entrepreneurs Back, journalist and professor Susanne Althoff investigates the obstacles women and nonbinary entrepreneurs - especially those of colour - face when launching, funding, and growing their companies, obstacles that persist because the current start-up world was engineered by and for white men. An exposé of the gender gap in entrepreneurship and a road map for a more inclusive and economically successful future for us all.

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Courageous Enough to Launch by Dr Cheryl Wood

September 20, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Screenshot 2020-09-20 at 15.52.20.png

Book Review

Stepping into the world of entrepreneurship requires massive courage, and launching a new business can seem particularly daunting. In her new book ‘Courageous Enough to Launch’, Dr Cheryl Wood speaks to 47 women who developed the tenacity, persistence, determination, commitment and resilience to launch and stay the course to building successful businesses. Their stories are personal, powerful, authentic, and above all, inspiring, and encourage other women to take decisive action to realize their own entrepreneurial visions.

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The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur: An Unconventional Success Plan for the Highly Creative, Secretly Sensitive, and Wildly Ambitious by Christine Kane

September 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Christine Kane

Christine Kane

Book Review

Christine Kane, author of The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur, is living proof that it’s possible to succeed in business when your strength is more about sensitivity than swagger, and when you are moved by meaning more than manipulation. In other words, she believes that it’s possible to succeed while still being you.

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Ask & Act: 10 Inspirational Tips to Get You Started on Your Entrepreneurial Journey by Jo Macfarlane

September 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken
Jo Macfarlane

Jo Macfarlane

Book Review

Do you want to create the life and business of your dreams? In this debut book from award winning candlemaker and inspirational #SmallBusinessSaturday winner, Jo Macfarlane, founder of the brand that carries her name, you'll learn a host of useful insights and advice about business and entrepreneurship.

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Tech FoundHER AFRICA CHALLENGE

Five female founders win over $100,000 in TechFoundHER Africa Challenge. Read more


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.


LIONESS WEEKENDER COVER STORIES

LIONESS WEEKENDER COVER STORY
Vanessa Mhlom, a South African wellness brand builder
Vanessa Mhlom, a South African wellness brand builder
Morongwe and Michelle Mokone, two social impact entrepreneurs building a high-growth, premium sustainable homeware business
Morongwe and Michelle Mokone, two social impact entrepreneurs building a high-growth, premium sustainable homeware business
Dr. Phindi Cebekhulu-Msomi, an agripreneur focused on climate-smart solutions
Dr. Phindi Cebekhulu-Msomi, an agripreneur focused on climate-smart solutions
Retang Phaahla, a pioneer for South Africa’s indigenous teas
Retang Phaahla, a pioneer for South Africa’s indigenous teas
Dr Margaret Kemigisha, a publishing entrepreneur passionate about childrens’ literacy
Dr Margaret Kemigisha, a publishing entrepreneur passionate about childrens’ literacy

IMAGE OF THE DAY. CELEBRATING WOMAN MADE IN AFRICA.

Image of the Day / Barbara McKenzie

Classic meets contemporary…If you are in the market for classic-inspired yet modern clothing which is both stylish and ultra-feminine and trans-seasonal to wear throughout the year, then Kendi Sapepa, found
Image of the Day / Adèle Dejak

Luxury statement accessories…We are big fans of luxury jewellery and accessories made with love and passion on the African continent, and Adèle Dejak in Kenya is the epitome of handmade luxury. The
Image of the Day / Lunar

Stylish sustainable clothing…We have always been big fans of Lunar in South Africa, the sustainable clothing brand created by owner Nicola Luther and her talented team. Lunar has firmly established itself as one of th
Image of the Day / Dathonga Designs

Traditional craft elevated…We love the impact-driven accessories created by Márcia Nangy O’Connell, founder and artistic director of Dathonga Designs in Mozambique. Since 2010, she has establis
Image of the Day / Dounia Home

Statement lighting… from Dounia Home, the home of innovative, handcrafted and ethically made Moroccan lighting and home decor founded by Dounia Tamri-Loeper. Her company designs, produces and brings to market hi
Image of the Day / Mash. T Design Studio

Award-winning furniture design…We are big fans of talented South African designer Thabisa Mjo, founder of Mash. T Design Studio in Johannesburg, and these fabulous side tables are firm customer favouri
Image of the Day / Quazi Design

Sustainable Home Decor…If you want to make a statement with your interior design and home decor, and at the same make a contribution to supporting eco-friendly enterprise, then these unique decor pieces from Qu
Image of the Day / Eki

Silk Sensation…Nothing is quite as luxurious as silk, that’s why we love the ‘Africa on Silk’ collections from Eki, founded by Hazel Eki Osunde. Eki is known for its signature soft silks and ethereal c
Image of the Day / ‘57 Chocolate

Bean to bar luxury chocolate… Taste the difference with the finest chocolate lovingly produced by ‘57 Chocolate, the pioneer bean to bar chocolate manufacturer in Ghana, created by sisters Kimberle
Image of the Day / Kebe Home

Handcrafted home decor …We are big fans of the work of Manuela Kamadjou, an interior architecture and design entrepreneur who transforms homes and spaces in Cameroon through her business, Kebe Home. Her new Echo V
Image of the Day / Barbara McKenzie

Classic meets contemporary…If you are in the market for classic-inspired yet modern clothing which is both stylish and ultra-feminine and trans-seasonal to wear throughout the year, then Kendi Sapepa, found Image of the Day / Adèle Dejak

Luxury statement accessories…We are big fans of luxury jewellery and accessories made with love and passion on the African continent, and Adèle Dejak in Kenya is the epitome of handmade luxury. The Image of the Day / Lunar

Stylish sustainable clothing…We have always been big fans of Lunar in South Africa, the sustainable clothing brand created by owner Nicola Luther and her talented team. Lunar has firmly established itself as one of th Image of the Day / Dathonga Designs

Traditional craft elevated…We love the impact-driven accessories created by Márcia Nangy O’Connell, founder and artistic director of Dathonga Designs in Mozambique. Since 2010, she has establis Image of the Day / Dounia Home

Statement lighting… from Dounia Home, the home of innovative, handcrafted and ethically made Moroccan lighting and home decor founded by Dounia Tamri-Loeper. Her company designs, produces and brings to market hi Image of the Day / Mash. T Design Studio

Award-winning furniture design…We are big fans of talented South African designer Thabisa Mjo, founder of Mash. T Design Studio in Johannesburg, and these fabulous side tables are firm customer favouri Image of the Day / Quazi Design

Sustainable Home Decor…If you want to make a statement with your interior design and home decor, and at the same make a contribution to supporting eco-friendly enterprise, then these unique decor pieces from Qu Image of the Day / Eki

Silk Sensation…Nothing is quite as luxurious as silk, that’s why we love the ‘Africa on Silk’ collections from Eki, founded by Hazel Eki Osunde. Eki is known for its signature soft silks and ethereal c Image of the Day / ‘57 Chocolate

Bean to bar luxury chocolate… Taste the difference with the finest chocolate lovingly produced by ‘57 Chocolate, the pioneer bean to bar chocolate manufacturer in Ghana, created by sisters Kimberle Image of the Day / Kebe Home

Handcrafted home decor …We are big fans of the work of Manuela Kamadjou, an interior architecture and design entrepreneur who transforms homes and spaces in Cameroon through her business, Kebe Home. Her new Echo V

STARTUP STORIES. MEET THE WOMEN WHO’VE LAUNCHED.

Featured
Júlia Silota, a Mozambican green business builder, focused on environmental waste management
Júlia Silota, a Mozambican green business builder, focused on environmental waste management
Claudia Machaieie, a Mozambican green business innovator transforming marine waste into reading glasses
Claudia Machaieie, a Mozambican green business innovator transforming marine waste into reading glasses
Matilde Mawelele Rungo, a Mozambican tech-preneur helping to drive digital transformation in the country
Matilde Mawelele Rungo, a Mozambican tech-preneur helping to drive digital transformation in the country
Yanara Tavares Viana, a Mozambican entrepreneur developing a smart urban housing solution in the country
Yanara Tavares Viana, a Mozambican entrepreneur developing a smart urban housing solution in the country
Isabel Mandofa, a Mozambican woman entrepreneur building a successful, high-impact agri-food business
Isabel Mandofa, a Mozambican woman entrepreneur building a successful, high-impact agri-food business

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LIONESS BOOK REVIEWS

Featured
Built on Purpose: Discover Your Deep Inner Why and Manifest the Business of Your Dreams by Betsy Fore
Built on Purpose: Discover Your Deep Inner Why and Manifest the Business of Your Dreams by Betsy Fore
The Magnetic Female Entrepreneur: The Art of Empowered Presence, Rising to New Levels of Impact and Influence, and Financial Success on Your Own Terms  by Mary Grant
The Magnetic Female Entrepreneur: The Art of Empowered Presence, Rising to New Levels of Impact and Influence, and Financial Success on Your Own Terms by Mary Grant
Women Entrepreneurs Rewired To Rise: Powerful Habits that Break Through Burnout, Silence Your Inner Critic, and Build a Thriving Business from the Inside Out  by Fiona Soutter
Women Entrepreneurs Rewired To Rise: Powerful Habits that Break Through Burnout, Silence Your Inner Critic, and Build a Thriving Business from the Inside Out by Fiona Soutter
Dream Big and Win: Translating Passion into Purpose and Creating a Billion-Dollar Business by Liz Elting
Dream Big and Win: Translating Passion into Purpose and Creating a Billion-Dollar Business by Liz Elting
After the Idea: What It Really Takes to Create and Scale a Startup by Julia Austin
After the Idea: What It Really Takes to Create and Scale a Startup by Julia Austin

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