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Lionesses of Africa

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the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs

Lionesses of Africa

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Mozambique’s leading women entrepreneurs set to inspire and connect at the 3rd Lioness Lean In Breakfast in Maputo

July 20, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Mozambique’s women entrepreneurs are making positive waves as they continue to build successful and sustainable businesses, some of which are beginning to capture global market attention. A new generation of young women is also being inspired to follow in their footsteps in the country. So to celebrate the achievements of all those women entrepreneurs who are putting Mozambique on the global map, and to further inspire this new generation to build successful businesses of their own, Lionesses of Africa and Standard Bank will be hosting the 3rd in a series of highly popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast events in Maputo this month. 

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Kenya’s women entrepreneurs gather for the first Lioness Lean In event in the country

July 2, 2017 Melanie Hawken

The Lioness Lean In Tour of Africa continued this month with a visit to Nairobi, Kenya, to bring 50 of the city’s leading women entrepreneurs together to inspire, share, connect and of course network. It was a great morning powered by Stanbic Bank, our impact partner in Africa, and we can’t wait to be back to host another of our popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast events in this beautiful city.

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Liberty’s women intrapreneurs ‘lean in’ to learn about building a business

July 2, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Many people working as employees for major companies who enjoy their daily corporate lives also have a dream to one day kickstart an entrepreneurial idea into action and build a business. Recognizing this aspiration, Liberty Group is doing something proactive to help its women employees fulfill this dream. 

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LIONESS ON TOUR - Taking the Lioness Roar to Berlin

June 25, 2017 Melanie Hawken

It’s been another busy month for Lionesses of Africa as we tour the continent and the rest of the world getting the message out about Africa’s talented, game-changing women entrepreneurs and showcasing their businesses, products and services. We know that getting critical access to global markets for women entrepreneurs in Africa is often a challenge, so it’s always welcome to get the opportunity to talk about possible solutions with fellow women’s economic empowerment champions in key capitals of the world - this month it was Berlin!

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Paris gets an injection of vibrant South African design and artisan craft

June 18, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Paris is set for an injection of vibrant South African design and artisan craft. As of June 14th, Parisians will get to experience some of South Africa's very best artisan design products with 40 exciting brands being hosted by the iconic Le BHV Marais department store in the heart of 'the City of Lights'. Featured brands include the likes of Yswara, Henriette Botha, Crystal Birch, Ardmore, Thalia Strates, Maxhosa, Ashanti Design and Vogel, to name but a few.

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Zambia’s women entrepreneurs experience the art of ‘leaning in’ for greater business success

May 14, 2017 Melanie Hawken

The Lioness Lean In roadshow across the African continent continued at a pace this month, with Lusaka in Zambia experiencing its first event on 10th May. Once again, Stanbic Bank partnered with Lionesses of Africa to host the latest in a series of highly popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast events to showcase and empower women entrepreneurs. Lionesses of Africa is a rapidly growing network of over 360,000 women entrepreneurs in 49 African countries and across the Diaspora. 

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Blantyre’s women entrepreneurs ‘Lean In’ for business success at the second Lioness Lean In Luncheon in Malawi

May 7, 2017 Melanie Hawken

When women entrepreneurs get together in a spirit of collaboration, great things happen. And, that’s the mission of the Lioness Lean In Events held all across the African continent - to get successful women entrepreneurs to network, share their startup stories, inspire one another and to hopefully do business. The second in the series of the highly popular Lioness Lean In Luncheon events in Malawi took place in Blantyre on Thursday 4th May, once again in partnership with Standard Bank. 

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Lionesses of Africa Lean In Event powered by Standard Bank in partnership with Shell and Netherlands Embassy showcase Mozambique’s women entrepreneurs

April 27, 2017 Melanie Hawken

PRESS RELEASE: Maputo, Mozambique, 27 April 2017 --- April is another exciting month for women entrepreneurs in Maputo as Lionesses of Africa and Standard Bank host the 2nd in a series of highly popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast events to showcase and empower women entrepreneurs in the country. Lionesses of Africa is a rapidly growing network of over 300,000 women entrepreneurs in 49 African countries and across the Diaspora. The event will be held on the morning of Thursday 27th April, once again powered by Standard Bank in partnership with Shell and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The venue will be at the Southern Sun Hotel, Avenida da Marginal, Maputo. The event starts at 8.00am and finishes at 12.00pm.

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Malawian women entrepreneurs lean in for greater business success

March 19, 2017 Melanie Hawken

If there’s one thing that captures the spirit of enterprise in Africa, it’s when women entrepreneurs get together to network, to share experiences, and to collaborate for greater business success. That spirit was evident this week when Lionesses of Africa hosted the first of its Lioness Lean In events in the Malawi capital, Lilongwe, in partnership with Standard Bank. 

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Let’s #LionessLeanIn Lilongwe! The Lioness Lean In Series for Women Entrepreneurs Heads to Lilongwe, Malawi this month

March 15, 2017 Melanie Hawken

This month will see the 2017 programme of Lioness Lean In events to be held in cities across the African continent kick off in great style as the team heads to Lilongwe in Malawi for the first time. The latest in the series of inspirational monthly Lioness Lean In events is set to take place this week on Wednesday 15th March, once again powered by Standard Bank, and hosted in the wonderful surroundings of the Latitude13 Hotel in Lilongwe. 

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EVENT REPORT: 2017 Lioness Lean In Breakfast event rollout launches in Cape Town and Johannesburg in February

February 26, 2017 Melanie Hawken

It now feels like 2017 has well and truly got underway with the first two Lioness Lean In Breakfast events having taken place. The first in Cape Town on 21st February and the second in Johannesburg on 23rd February. At each event, women entrepreneurs representing all sectors and sizes of business gathered for a morning of inspirational startup story sharing and great networking.

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The Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event Series for 2017 heads to Johannesburg

February 13, 2017 Melanie Hawken

One of the highlights again for 2017 will undoubtedly be the monthly Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event Series, run in partnership with Standard Bank. These hugely popular gatherings bring together women entrepreneurs in key African cities to listen to other successful women business brand builders share their stories, to inspire one another, and to network and connect for business success. On Thursday 23rd February, Johannesburg plays host to one of the first events of the year.

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New Lioness Lean In Breakfast event schedule announced for 2017 in South Africa

January 8, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Following an amazing series of events held last year in South Africa, the new programme of inspirational monthly Lioness Lean In Breakfast events has just been announced, again powered by Standard Bank in the country. The programme will see events taking place in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Limpopo and Pretoria, and hosted at a variety of venues including the SB Incubator in Rosebank, the new SB Incubator in Pretoria, and Workshop 17 in Cape Town, amongst others.

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The first Lioness Lean In Breakfast event in Mozambique brings together Maputo’s leading women entrepreneurs to share, inspire and connect

December 3, 2016 Melanie Hawken

November was an exciting month for Lionesses of Africa, a rapidly growing network of 250,000 women entrepreneurs on the African continent, as it officially launched in Maputo, Mozambique with the first Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event in the country. The event, which was held on the morning of 17 November 2016, was powered by Standard Bank in partnership with Shell and held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the city.

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Lionesses of Africa launches in Mozambique with its first Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event on 17 November

November 13, 2016 Melanie Hawken

November is an exciting month for Lionesses of Africa as it officially launches in Maputo, Mozambique with the first Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event on the morning of 17 November 2016, powered by Standard Bank in partnership with Shell. The event is being held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Av. da Marginal, Maputo, Mozambique and starts at 8.30am, finishing at 11.30am.

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Powering a new era of women’s entrepreneurship at the Lionesses of Africa Annual Conference 2016

October 16, 2016 Melanie Hawken
Opening Speaker: Funeka Montjane, Chief Executive Personal & Business Banking South Africa, Standard Bank

Opening Speaker: Funeka Montjane, Chief Executive Personal & Business Banking South Africa, Standard Bank

What an event, what a gathering of inspirational women entrepreneurs, what an amazing time to be a woman entrepreneur in Africa!  280+ delegates; 35 inspirational speakers from across Africa. Catchup on some of the highlights of the Lionesses of Africa Annual Conference 2016.

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3 Amazing Lioness Lean In Events in one week this October

October 16, 2016 Melanie Hawken

What an amazing month October is turning out to be. We have just staged the most phenomenal Lionesses of Africa Conference on 12 October in Johannesburg, attended by over 280 women entrepreneurs from across the continent, and a panel of 35 truly inspirational women business and brand builders. And now, we are heading into a new week with three amazing new events for women entrepreneurs to get involved with. 

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VIDEO: Highlights of the Lionesses of Africa Annual Conference 2016

October 16, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Watch the highlights showreel of The Lionesses of Africa Annual Conference 2016 held in 12 October at the Inanda Club, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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Celebrating women in contemporary design and artisan crafts

October 16, 2016 Melanie Hawken

It's that time of year again, when Johannesburg, South Africa, is abuzz with talk about contemporary design and all things handmade. On a gorgeous summer's day, crowds flocked to the rooftop of the Hyde Park Shopping Mall to experience the uniqueness of the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair, taking place from 14 to 16 October. This event is all about meeting passionate and highly talented craftspeople who are showcasing their world-class products, shopping (and lots of it!), and of course sampling the wonderful handcrafted beers, wines and foods. 

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Inspirational women entrepreneurs from across the African continent prepare to gather in Johannesburg for the first Lionesses of Africa Conference on 12 October

October 2, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Lionesses of Africa, the network that looks to support and empower women entrepreneurs from across the African continent, is preparing to mark the 2 year anniversary of its launch with an inaugural Conference on 12 October in Johannesburg, South Africa. This special event, held at an equally special venue in beautiful surroundings (The Inanda Polo Club) aims to bring together around 200 women entrepreneurs from all corners of the continent to share their business building stories, to inspire others with their success, to discuss some of the big issues and challenges facing women entrepreneurs on the continent, and to network.

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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 / The Joinery

Sustainable Tote Bags…We have always been big fans of The Joinery, the sustainable and ethical product design brand based in South Africa founded by Natalie and Kim Ellis, and their exciting Future Tex™ fa
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 / The Joinery

Sustainable Tote Bags…We have always been big fans of The Joinery, the sustainable and ethical product design brand based in South Africa founded by Natalie and Kim Ellis, and their exciting Future Tex™ fa 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

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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