Karen Carr and Hanneke Schutte, two South African entrepreneurs turning a passion for pets into a thriving business

March 22, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Karen Carr & Hanneke Schutte, founders of Benji + Moon (South Africa) — **Karen Carr & Hanneke Schutte**, founders of Benji + Moon (South Africa)

As any pet-lover will tell you, trying to find the perfect products for those furry friends in our lives that are also aesthetically pleasing to the eye in our homes, can be quite a challenge. However two enterprising women from South Africa have the solution. Benji + Moon is a business that creates beautifully designed, compassionately driven pet products that will make both owners and their beloved pets happy.

Tatenda Ndambakuwa, a Zimbabwean entrepreneur helping farmers become more productive through app development and data science

March 18, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Tatenda Ndambakuwa, founder of Shiri (Zimbabwe) — **Tatenda Ndambakuwa**, founder of Shiri (Zimbabwe)

Many entrepreneurs are driven by a passion to solve problems or address key societal issues. For Tatenda Ndambakuwa, founder of Shiri, her driving force is to address food security challenges by helping farmers in her country to become more productive and efficient using the power of technology.

Masana Sangweni, a South African event planner passionate about making moments memories

March 18, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Masana Sangweni, founder of Sanaandi Events & Hospitality (South Africa) — **Masana Sangweni**, founder of Sanaandi Events & Hospitality (South Africa)

Events are very personal occasions and for the clients hosting them finding the right event planner who can create the right experience is crucial. That is where South African entrepreneur Masana Sangweni, founder of Sanaandi Events & Hospitality, comes in. She helps her clients create beautiful and unique event memories that last.

Nomafu Mdlambuzi, a South African entrepreneur passionate about manufacturing traditional wear for all occasions

March 11, 2018 Melanie Hawken

South Africa has a rich traditional heritage and one that is celebrated through dress and costumes that tell a unique story. Today, entrepreneur Nomafu Mdlambuzi is carrying on the family business and her mother’s original vision, creating beautiful traditional wear for her customers through her company, Ezakwantu Sewing Co-op.

Patricia Majule, a Tanzanian entrepreneur manufacturing unique gifts for party and corporate event planners

March 11, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Patricia Majule, founder of Unique Favors TZ (Tanzania) — **Patricia Majule**, founder of Unique Favors TZ (Tanzania)

Trying to find the right company to create a gifting and party favour experience can be a real challenge, but in Tanzania, one woman manufacturer is providing a solution. Patricia Majule, founder of Unique Favors TZ, is creating a range of gifting and party favour products that are made locally at a great price.

Maria Auma, a Ugandan entrepreneur helping startups to build sustainable businesses with impact

February 28, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Maria Auma, founder of Blue Luxury Investments (Uganda) — **Maria Auma**, founder of Blue Luxury Investments (Uganda)

For many startups, taking their businesses to the next level can be challenging. In Uganda, one woman entrepreneur is helping small business owners to increase their production capacity and access finance. Maria Auma, founder of Blue Luxury Investments, is bringing her expertise and investment community to help startups to fulfill their potential.

Liesl Esau, a South African entrepreneur passionate about health, safety and environmental compliance

February 26, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Liesl Esau, founder of HSE Matters (South Africa) — **Liesl Esau**, founder of HSE Matters (South Africa)

Every company needs to ensure their workplace is safe and their employees are trained in best practice health, safety and environmental compliance, and that’s where Liesl Esau comes in. Her company HSE Matters is helping companies to get it right.

Katy Valentine, a South African jewellery designer creating collections inspired by two continents

February 23, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Katy Valentine, founder of Katy Valentine Collection (South Africa) — **Katy Valentine**, founder of Katy Valentine Collection (South Africa)

Jewellery is such a personal thing, and often those buying pieces to wear or to give as gifts are inspired by the stories behind each unique piece, or by the cultures they reflect. The Katy Valentine Collection, a business and brand named after its creator, uniquely takes its inspiration from Africa and India, but with a contemporary design aesthetic.

Gaceri Kirimi, a Kenyan entrepreneur building a niche on-demand laundry business for busy people

February 16, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Gaceri Kirimi, co-founder of Destello Laundry Cleaning Services (Kenya) — **Gaceri Kirimi**, co-founder of Destello Laundry Cleaning Services (Kenya)

As entrepreneurs, we all know how difficult it can be to balance work and life commitments, and when it comes to managing household chores such as laundry, it can be difficult without help. That’s where Destello Laundry Cleaning Services comes in, helping Nairobi’s busy professionals and families to deal with the chore of doing laundry each week.

Naledi Toona, a South African entrepreneur taking her skills as a private chef to the next level in business

February 15, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Chef Naledi, Private Chef and Cooking Instructor (South Africa) — **Chef Naledi**, Private Chef and Cooking Instructor (South Africa)

They say that to build a successful business, you should start with your specialist skills, passion and knowledge, and harness those as the basis for a business that can grow. This is an approach being taken to the full by the talented Chef Naledi, a South African private chef and culinary instructor who is now helping others to build their knowledge and experience of cooking at home.

Maria Natália João, a Mozambican entrepreneur mastering the art of event planning and related services

February 14, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Maria Natália João, founder of MNJ Eventos & Serviços (Mozambique) — **Maria Natália João**, founder of MNJ Eventos & Serviços (Mozambique)

The world of eventing is a hugely competitive business, so the secret to success is building a reputation and service offering that is differentiated in the industry. For entrepreneur, Maria Natália João, founder of MNJ Eventos & Serviços, that meant harnessing her considerable expertise and experience as an event MC and building upon that to create a multifaceted business.

Wambui JL, a Kenyan serial entrepreneur harnessing the power of publishing to celebrate Africa’s natural lifestyles

February 13, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Wambui JL, founder of Hairpolitan Lifestyle (Kenya) — **Wambui JL**, founder of Hairpolitan Lifestyle (Kenya)

These days, there is growing interest in the use of natural products for health, wellness and beauty in Africa, and a growing audience to learn more about trends and products in the marketplace. Hairpolitan Lifestyle is an online magazine, created by Kenyan entrepreneur Wambui JL, and aimed at sharing stories about people who are celebrating and living natural lifestyles.

Samantha Rice, a South African creative media expert with a passion for helping her clients to realize their business visions

February 7, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Samantha Rice, founder of Creative Compass (South Africa) — **Samantha Rice**, founder of Creative Compass (South Africa)

For many successful businesses, it’s all about ensuring they stay on message and have a strong brand identity and digital presence to support that goal. For entrepreneur Samantha Rice, founder of Creative Compass, that’s where her specialist expertise and insights can make the difference.

Janine Starkey, a South African entrepreneur on a mission to make others look and feel good

February 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Janine Starkey, founder of House of Janine (South Africa) — **Janine Starkey**, founder of House of Janine (South Africa)

As many successful entrepreneurs will tell you, achieving that success is often down to confidence, and lots of it, but for many women entrepreneurs, confidence doesn’t always come naturally. But South African entrepreneur, Janine Starkey, founder of image consultancy House of Janine, is about to change all that.

Phindi Msomi, a South African entrepreneur with a passion for helping employees to become more effective at work

February 3, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Phindi Msomi, founder of Olwazini Consulting Services (South Africa) — **Phindi Msomi,** founder of Olwazini Consulting Services (South Africa)

Creating a working environment where employees can thrive and excel is a challenge for many companies and organisations. For South African company, Olwazini Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd, founded by Phindi Msomi, this represented a key business opportunity.

Wezi Moyo, a Malawian serial entrepreneur growing multiple businesses and a reputation for success

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Wezi Moyo, founder of Benequity Consultancy and Hillside Lodge (Malawi) — **Wezi Moyo**, founder of Benequity Consultancy and Hillside Lodge (Malawi)

In Malawi, many women entrepreneurs have not just one business, but several, working on the philosophy that it is better to both spread business risk and increase the chances of success. Wezi Moyo, founder of Benequity Consultancy and Hillside Lodge, is one such woman, demonstrating that it is indeed possible to be a successful serial entrepreneur in the country.

Sonia Paiva, a Swaziland serial entrepreneur making an impact in the agribusiness and food processing sectors in her country

January 27, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Sonia Paiva, founder of Woman Farmer Foundation & Eswatini Kitchen (Swaziland) — **Sonia Paiva**, founder of Woman Farmer Foundation & Eswatini Kitchen (Swaziland)

Building one business is tough enough, but creating and running two successful, high impact businesses that both positively impact on society and the lives of those working in the agricultural sector is impressive. Sonia Paiva, founder of the Woman Farmer Foundation & Eswatini Kitchen (Pty) Ltd is proof positive that it can be done.

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