When Corporates Ask You To Work For Free

September 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Claire Keet Pollock and Sinal Govender

Picture this. A bright-eyed, bush-tailed creative, maybe a year or two into their career, gets a call from a massive multinational company to do some work for them. (Who me?! Yes, of course, I’d love to! What’s that? You’ve got a limited budget? No problem, it’d be an honour to work with your brand). Maybe this young gun is a photographer or a designer. Or a music producer. They’re told that money is tight on the job and are dangled the “exposure” carrot.

How to overcome working mom’s guilt

September 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Usha Maharaj

As a working mom I’m sure you’ve felt that pang of guilt when sitting at the office while you leave your children in someone else’s care. As a working mom who needs to work, who feels energized by working, who loves what they do, and who also loves raising their children – working mom’s guilt, is an obstacle.

Faking It?

September 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Dr Ashika Pillay

Recently, I have had contact with a few brand names that prompted me to think a bit deeper about how companies represent their brands and strategy. Why do some brands come across true to their inherent value proposition? Why do employees of some companies truly LIVE the brand? On the other hand, why do some customers come back truly disappointed as soon as they have interacted with a company leaving them with a stark contrast between their expectations and the reality?

How to Keep Your Sanity As A Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur

September 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Tapiwa Matsinde

Do you find yourself constantly generating ideas that you find too irresistible to ignore? And as a result, you become distracted with all these ideas begging to be brought to life. Welcome to the life of the multi-passionate (also referred to as multi-hyphenate).

Is remote working killing corporate culture?

September 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Paula Quinsee

With the majority of people working from home these days, there are less team and one-on-one interactions with the majority of communications being done almost entirely online. Some concerns that are already being flagged in organisations are that of: "employees are increasingly disconnected and as a result, projects can take longer to complete. New hires are failing to integrate effectively and young professionals can take longer to professionally develop without mentors at hand or behaviours to emmulate.”

Get better prepared for the impact of yesterday and the future of tomorrow

September 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Gercia Sequeira, CEO and cofounder of ITIS

I can't change the direction of the wind or the tides, but I can adjust my sails to rich my destination - Confucius

Suddenly everything changed, and the worst of all nightmares was the increasingly palpable uncertainty! And the voice that screams in every entrepreneurial woman’s heart is that, a time of crisis is a time of opportunity. It seems like a “cliché”, unreachable. However, it allowed us to identify the harsh reality. We weren’t prepared! Schools, supermarkets, people, the government, nobody was prepared.

Conquering the Rocky Battlefield of 2020

September 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Elizabeth Otieno

Earthquakes, locust infestations, food wastage and shortage, Forest fires, park fires, mismanagement of funds, police brutality, and don't get me started on the Covid-19 pandemic. When historians finally write about the year 2020, it will most definitely sound like a horror story lifted from the pages of an Edgar Allan Poe or a Stephan King novel. Nothing from the year feels real, and yet here we are reading this on our laptops, from the safety of our homes with our masks nearby. Even though it feels like a pre-apocalyptic era, it doesn't mean we should live in a state of constant melancholy.

How To Create A Content Marketing Strategy That Converts

September 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Wuraola Ademola-Shanu

Apart from being a Copywriter, I also double as a Content Strategist. And having gained an experience of over 5 years in the field, I’ve always been asked certain content marketing questions by clients, potential customers, business owners and content marketing enthusiast.

Can movement be your medicine?

September 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Dr Ashika Pillay

It’s a well-known fact that exercise changes the body and improves physical health. It makes us look better, and when we look better, we feel better. You may have also heard of “runners high” the common understanding that the body releases natural “feel good” endorphins after a run or workout. However, what do we know about its impact on the brain, on performance, mood, and focus? Is there even such a thing?

5 Things to Consider To Turn Your Hobby Into a Business

September 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Tapiwa Matsinde

Turning your hobby into a business is a highly rewarding experience. Not only can it mean making a living doing what you love, but also learning more about yourself and just what you are capable of. Turning your hobby into a business is a big step, one that requires a shift in mindset from creating for pleasure as and when you feel like it to creating for-profit and having to put routines and goals in place.

The importance of sharing your story

August 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Abigail K

You have a story tell. Whether you’re an author, and aspiring author or you’re neither of those. You have a story to tell. Your story has meaning. Your story has value. Your story exists for a reason.

SARS Auto Assessments: What to Do

August 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Ronel Jooste

As you might know in South Africa, SARS has rolled out auto assessments for the 2019/20 tax year, mainly for non-provisional taxpayers. In this video clip I explain what an auto assessment entails and the 3 important things you should do when you are auto assessed.

Mental Health First Aider

August 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Kulani Shiluvane, Founder and Chief Consultant, Shiluvah

I recently came across the term Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) and as someone that works and owns a business in the Human Resource space this term immediately sparked my interest, especially with regards to how this concept could be used and benefit the workplace.

What to do if your business website is copied

August 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Claire Keet Pollock and Sinal Govender, Co-Founders of pop.law

Today’s story of ‘life and law’ is enough to make any digital business owner’s eyeballs shrink to the size of raisins. If you own any online assets - a website, an online store, a social media feed - then this story might help you avoid pricey legal fees one day if the unthinkable happens: someone blatantly uses your content for their own commercial purposes without your permission.

Everyone Knows Something That Is Teachable & Sellable

August 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Wuraola Ademola-Shanu

An Interview With Amba Eyang-Ajaikaiye on Digital Marketing For Fempreneurs.

A lot of businesses set out in the New Year with high goals and projects. Unfortunately, COVID-19 struck and many businesses were caught in the “crossfire” with only a few surviving and pivoting to remain relevant in the game. One thing is for sure though: the pandemic has made many businesses realize the importance of leverage digital/online marketing.

Being Social Makes Work Better

August 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Laura Camacho

How are your virtual meetings going? Does your schedule include time to be social? Does everyone in your world feel closer, more connected, than they did before everything shut down because of the pandemic?

Asking for help could be your game changer

August 22, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Usha Maharaj, Speaker, Coach, Facilitator

Asking for help at work, at home, in any area of our lives is tough. But asking for help could be the game-changer that you need in order to reduce the stress, make more time available, and lessen the burden you’re carrying.

Realising Growth Beyond Self

August 19, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Kelebogile Makhafola

A crisis presents challenges that provoke a sense of community within brands and organisations. Tough times push brands to reinforce the value and refuge in belonging. This article explores how you as a business owner, marketer and leader can reassure your customers, employees, and followers of the benefits of belonging to your eco-system.

The importance of self-care during a crisis

August 19, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lelemba Phiri, Enygma Ventures Operating Partner and Fund Manager

Before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the importance of mental health was being highlighted and the crisis has amplified its importance even further. As business owners and investors, we are not exempt from the compounding effects of poor mental health if we do not take the time to understand these issues and how they can negatively impact us, our businesses and families.

Alice…a celebration

August 19, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Alice da Silva

Every year, the first week in August is a time of reflective celebration for me. I celebrate the choices I made and the mistakes I didn’t. I take this time to exhale and be proud of my story.

Sign up today to receive the #1-rated newsletters for Africa's women entrepreneurs.