Adhiambo Mula-Lauwers - The startup story of a South African footwear brand turning the traditional concept of shoe design on its head

February 22, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Adhiambo Mula-Lauwers, founder of GALAGO (South Africa) — **Adhiambo Mula-Lauwers**, founder of GALAGO (South Africa)

GALAGO is a footwear brand with a difference. It not only celebrates an African aesthetic, embracing the traditional techniques and craftsmanship renowned on the continent, but also brings in a uniquely customised aspect for the wearer. Fashion entrepreneur and founder, Adhiambo Mula-Lauwers, is tapping into a new design aesthetic that is highly customer centric and very individual.

Adenike Akinsemolu - The startup story of a social entrepreneur in Nigeria building a new generation of environmentally conscious student leaders

February 20, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Adenike Akinsemolu, founder of The Green Campus Initiative (Nigeria) — **Adenike Akinsemolu**, founder of The Green Campus Initiative (Nigeria)

Like many parts of Africa, Nigeria has a number of environmental challenges that need to be addressed by innovative thinking and action. The Green Campus Initiative is entrepreneur Adenike Akinsemolu’s solution to getting young people in the country thinking green and becoming eco-conscious citizens.

Angela Kamanzi - The startup story of a magazine publisher in Kenya passionate about women’s empowerment

February 16, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Angela Kamanzi, founder of Arkad World Limited & publisher of Mkazi Magazine (Kenya) — **Angela Kamanzi**, founder of Arkad World Limited & publisher of Mkazi Magazine (Kenya)

One woman entrepreneur is bringing her wealth of expertise and experience in the field of publishing to create an online magazine that celebrates enterprising African women and provides a great resource of homegrown solutions to Africa’s unique challenges. Arkad World Limited, the holding company behind Mkazi Magazine, is the brainchild of Kenyan entrepreneur, Angela Kamanzi, and creates information to inspire, motivate and improve the lives of African women entrepreneurs.

Sandra Idossou - The startup story of a Rwandan media company committed to promoting service excellence

February 15, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Sandra Idossou, founder of The ServiceMag (Rwanda) — **Sandra Idossou**, founder of The ServiceMag (Rwanda)

Good customer service is so critical to success in all aspects of entrepreneurial life, and therefore the concept and ethos behind Sandra Idossou’s company, The ServiceMag, couldn’t have come at a better time in Africa. She is passionately committed to helping companies and organisations to improve their customer centricity and, as a result, helping to make the continent more customer focused in its entrepreneurial approach.

Anthea Ambursley - The startup story of a South African entrepreneur passionate about the hospitality industry and empowering women to start businesses

February 11, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Anthea Ambursley, founder of Anansi (South Africa) — **Anthea Ambursley**, founder of Anansi (South Africa)

The most successful businesses tend to be led by entrepreneurs who are not only passionate about what they do, but those that have a vision of how to empower others to follow in their footsteps. Anansi is one such multi-faceted company, and the brainchild of its talented founder, Anthea Ambursley, who is passing on her wisdom and experience through a number of platforms in her business.

Ayoronke Tosin-Yeye - The startup story of a Nigerian entrepreneur on a mission to mentor others in Africa

February 10, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Ayoronke Tosin-Yeye, founder of IMentorAfrica (Nigeria) — **Ayoronke Tosin-Yeye**, founder of IMentorAfrica (Nigeria)

IMentorAfrica is the brainchild of Nigerian entrepreneur Ayoronke Tosin-Yeye, and is a company focused on helping entrepreneurs find mentors in their key areas of expertise and interest. Her online solution provides instant access to both experienced mentors and information, and brings an entrepreneurial network together.

Emily Pienaar - The startup story of a South African perfumier, inspired by traditional French perfume-making but celebrating Africa’s unique flora

February 10, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Emily Pienaar, founder of Rose en Bos (South Africa) — **Emily Pienaar**, founder of Rose en Bos (South Africa)

Perfume is very evocative of time and place and a very personal experience for the wearer. In the case of South African perfume house, Rose en Bos, founded by entrepreneur Emily Pienaar, the inspiration comes from the spectacular and world-renowned Cape Floral Kingdom. To wear these perfumes is to be transported to this beautiful, unspoilt and unique part of the world.

Marcia Mofokeng - The startup story of a South African entrepreneur who is making a name for herself in the male dominated world of aluminium window and door manufacture

February 9, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Marcia Mofokeng, founder of Alurcia Aluminium and Glass (South Africa)

As a woman entrepreneur in South Africa, entering an industry sector which is traditionally the domain of male run companies is never easy, and particularly those in the manufacturing and installation sectors. But Marcia Mofokeng, founder of Alurcia Aluminium and Glass, is proof positive that with a combination of hard work, ambition, sheer determination and great skills, it is possible to achieve anything.

Raksha Mahabeer and Sandhya Singh - The startup story of a South African entrepreneurial duo building a vibrant creative design studio

February 9, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Sandhya Singh and Raksha Mahabeer, founders of SummerTime (South Africa) — **Sandhya Singh and** **Raksha Mahabeer**, founders of SummerTime (South Africa)

In the highly competitive and fast moving world of corporate branding, marketing and graphic design, finding a specialist niche is key. South African creative design studio, SummerTime, is one such company leading the field by providing a powerful combination of passion for the work they do, combined with an innovative approach to solving branding and marketing challenges on behalf of their clients.

Mogau Seshoene - The startup story of a young entrepreneur who pivoted from a finance career to teaching women to cook traditional South African cuisine

February 7, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Mogau Seshoene, founder of The Lazy Makoti (South Africa) — **Mogau Seshoene**, founder of The Lazy Makoti (South Africa)

In the world of entrepreneurship in Africa, some of the most inspirational and exciting businesses are being created by those women who make a brave career pivot and leave the safety of the corporate world to following their entrepreneurial dreams. South African entrepreneur Mogau Seshoene is one such woman. With her company, The Lazy Makoti (love the name!), she is inspiring the country’s kitchens by teaching traditional South African cooking to local women.

Fatima Babakura - The startup story of a young Nigerian entrepreneur creating a new luxury women’s handbag brand on the continent

February 6, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Fatima Babakura, founder of Timabee (Nigeria) — **Fatima Babakura**, founder of Timabee (Nigeria)

Timabee is a new proudly African, luxury accessory brand on a mission to make luxury accessible and affordable, whilst at the same time celebrating the best craftsmanship combined with the finest leathers. The company’s founder, Fatima Babakura, is passionate about the timeless process of creating the most beautiful accessories, harnessing her country’s tradition of fine craftsman-made products, but in a new contemporary way.

Shona Macdonald - The startup story of a young South African entrepreneur on a mission to create a new lingerie and swimwear brand for big-boobed girls

February 6, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Shona Macdonald, founder of Thursdays Lingerie and Swimwear (South Africa) — **Shona Macdonald**, founder of Thursdays Lingerie and Swimwear (South Africa)

Any woman with larger breasts will know how difficult it is to find beautiful and trendy lingerie and swimwear that is both affordable and actually fits properly. Well, South African entrepreneur Shona Macdonald is on a mission to change all that with her exciting new company Thursdays Lingerie and Swimwear.

Mmabatho Portia Morudi - The startup story of a South African woman bee farmer building a growing sustainable business and ecosystem

February 5, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Mmabatho Portia Morudi, founder of The Village Market SA (South Africa) — **Mmabatho Portia Morudi**, founder of The Village Market SA (South Africa)

Many entrepreneurs have an epiphany moment when they decide to create their business ventures, and for South African entrepreneur, Mmabatho (Portia) Morudi, that moment came in the form of bees. Inspired by her grandfather, she moved into the world of bee farming and honey production initially, driven by a passion to use her knowledge and expertise in bee keeping to assist local economic development and food security challenges. Today her business, The Village Market SA, is so much more than the sum of its parts.

Lucy Worsley - The startup story of a South African experiential marketer putting the shared economy model at the core of her business

February 3, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Lucy Worsley, founder of Empire Experiential Marketing (South Africa) — **Lucy Worsley**, founder of Empire Experiential Marketing (South Africa)

One young South African entrepreneur taking a literal approach to building an empire is Lucy Worsley, the founder of Empire Experiential Marketing. She has captured a gap in the market to bring a fresh, vibrant approach to brand marketing by creating highly focused, custom experiences for the world’s leading brands in Africa.

Irene Ochem - The startup story of a Nigerian event entrepreneur with a passion for fostering women’s entrepreneurship in Africa

February 2, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Irene Ochem, founder of ICO Conferences & Events Limited — **Irene Ochem**, founder of ICO Conferences & Events Limited

Building a genuinely pan-African brand can be a challenge, but it is one that entrepreneur Irene Ochem is more than ready for, as her company, ICO Conferences & Events Limited, is building a great reputation for organising successful and high profile events across the continent. She is also creating a great network for women decision-makers and opinion-formers to come together and help to foster the empowerment of African women.

Candice Johnson - The startup story of a luxury knitwear designer celebrating traditional South African skills, luxurious raw materials, and local talents

January 31, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Candice Johnson, founder of Miss Knitwear (South Africa) — **Candice Johnson,** founder of Miss Knitwear (South Africa)

In a world which is increasingly turning its attention to all things hand-crafted, and companies using ethically sourced materials that support local craftsmanship, Candice Johnson is one entrepreneur turning her passion for luxury, handcrafted knitwear, into a thriving business, aptly named Miss Knitwear.

Mireille Karera - The startup story of a Rwandan entrepreneur providing bespoke consulting and coaching services to clients around the world

January 28, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Mireille Karera, founder of KORA Associates — **Mireille Karera**, founder of KORA Associates

Many entrepreneurs take a personal passion and turn it into a business. In the case of Mireille Karera, she had a passion to see people grow and progress in their lives in practical ways, and that led her to set up her company, KORA Associates, that encourages, coaches and advises individuals, businesses and communities in achieving their goals, visions and dreams.

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