Kutloano Skosana, a South African creative entrepreneur harnessing the power of storytelling

April 21, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Kutloano Skosana, Creator and Host, Shades and Layers (South Africa/USA)

Kutloano Skosana is a creative entrepreneur from South Africa, now based in the US. She is the Creator and Host of Shades and Layers, a podcast dedicated to the stories of Black and Other Women of Color entrepreneurs across the globe. Kutloano’s media career began in radio journalism after she graduated from Rhodes University shortly after the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. She worked at 702, Kaya FM, Metro FM and SAFM between 1996 and 2008. Alongside her radio career, she was sharpening her entrepreneurial skills with her business partners, Maria McCloy and Dzino at their groundbreaking multimedia company, Black Rage Productions.

Vanda Harries, a South African business coach helping women entrepreneurs build personal brands

April 14, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Vanda Harries, founder, The Life Architect (South Africa)

Vanda Harries is the entrepreneur behind The Life Architect, a business coaching and consultancy specialising in marketing and communications and personal brand building in South Africa. She is passionate about helping other women entrepreneurs and non-profits to develop their personal and business brands to achieve their goals.

Mirene Guitiche, a Mozambican creative entrepreneur building a business that celebrates the art of sewing and craftwork

April 14, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Mirene Guitiche, founder and CEO, Miregui Art (Mozambique)

Mirene Guitiche is the founder and CEO of Miregui Art, a company that has existed since 2020 and is dedicated to creative sewing and crafts in Mozambique. She is an entrepreneur equipped with skills and is very talented, in addition to being a Management student (UEM) in the country.

A Mirene Guitiche tem 23 anos é estudante de Gestão (UEM), é fundadora e CEO da Miregui art, uma empresa existente desde 2020 que se dedica a costura criativa e artesanato. Empreendedora munida de competências e muito talentosa.

Amirah Adam, an entrepreneur building a textile print design business where art meets fashion in Mozambique

April 7, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Amirah Adam, founder, Mira La Mira (Mozambique)

Amirah Adam is the founder of the company Mira La Mira, a textile print design brand launched in 2018 in Mozambique. She is the winner of several financing awards and the Mozal & Kulungwana award. Since the age of 16, she has worked in the digital arts field, and has extensive experience in communication design, photography, and advertising. She has also worked in alternative areas such as business management. She completed her degree in Mozambique and her master's degree in Portugal, where the Mira La Mira brand was born. The business has created jobs for 4 people.

Claire Amondi, a beauty entrepreneur building a fresh skincare brand in Kenya

April 7, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Claire Amondi, founder, CEO of AGNES | Pure & Regal (Kenya)

Claire Amondi is the founder and CEO of AGNES | Pure & Regal, a clean and safe skincare line made in Kenya. AGNES seeks to inspire and promote the importance of healthy skin. Born out of the founders' obsession with all things skincare and the desire to encourage the value of self love, the brand is committed to formulating simple and effective products that help enhance and maintain your glow. Launched in 2018, today the business has created jobs for 3 other people.

Alinafe Fridah Mapwesera, a leading bridalwear and bespoke fashion designer in Malawi

March 31, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Alinafe Fridah Mapwesera, founder, Nanas (Malawi)

Alinafe Fridah Mapwesera is the founder of Nanas closet in Malawi, a business launched in 2014 and creating beautiful bridal dresses and other bespoke wear for those memorable wedding occasions. Customers have come to know Alinafe for creating beautiful wedding dresses that celebrate African culture and she sells her designs all over the world. She happily mixes elegance with different cultures in her designs, whilst always taking care of the environmental impact of her work which is important to Alinafe. For example, she gave away 100 dresses to kids made from old materials. Her work is about making things well, keeping traditions alive, and helping the planet.

Birgite Armando John, a Mozambican entrepreneur offering business consulting and language services to clients

March 31, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Birgite Armando John is the founder of Centro de Educação Sustentável, Lda. (CES), a specialist consulting and language business in Mozambique. She is an entrepreneurial woman, accountant, and also multilingual. Birgite began her journey as an entrepreneur teaching English to friends and colleagues while studying abroad. She is the recipient of a 3rd Place prize in the CapacitaMoz Bootcamp Award financed by TotalEnergies.

Birgite Armando John, fundadora do Centro de Educação Sustentável, Lda. (CES) e vencedora do 3o Lugar do Premio CapacitaMoz Bootcamp financiado pela TotalEnergies. Mulher empreendedora, Contabilista e poliglota. Começou o seu percurso como empreendedora ensinando Inglês para amigos e colegas enquanto estudava no estrangeiro.

Lindsey Swart, a South African makeup artist creating interactive workshops for women

March 21, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Lindsey Swart, founder, Pretty You Workshops (South Africa)

Lindsey Swart is the founder of Pretty You Workshops in South Africa, a business creating interactive makeup learning experiences for women. She has been in the makeup industry for over 20 years and has headed up some of South Africa’s finest productions. She has a great passion in making women look and feel amazing. At her interactive workshops, she shares all her knowledge in a fun and beautiful environment.

Dércia Marta Massilele, a Mozambican entrepreneur creating an innovative and affordable solution to waste management

March 21, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Dércia Marta Massilele, co-founder & manager, COSEL-Colecta Selectiva (Mozambique)

Dércia Marta Massilele is the co-founder and manager of COSEL-Colecta Selectiva, a waste management startup launched in 2019 and based in Maputo, creating jobs for five people. It’s main activity focuses on providing collection and treatment services for recyclable and common waste. Using motorless tricycles and promoting environmental awareness, Dércia and her team offer an innovative and affordable solution for micro-enterprises and private establishments.

Leslie Jaroschek, a travel agency founder creating authentic tourism experiences in Botswana

March 17, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Leslie Jaroschek, founder and ceo, Authentic Botswana Tours (Botswana)

Leslie Jaroschek is the founder and ceo of Authentic Botswana Tours, a travel agency that attracts tourists from all over the world and offers Wildlife safari, Photography Safari, and Tented Safari experiences. Having obtained an MBA in International Tourism Management from Cyprus University, Leslie started her business in 2021, just after the COVID era. The company is 100% owned by Motswana women. Authentic Botswana Tours operates from Botswana and employs only Batswana.

Rofiat Komolafe, a Nigerian fashion entrepreneur building a global brand

March 17, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Rofiat Komolafe, founder, ROFEEA K (Nigeria)

Rofiat Komolafe is the Nigerian founder of the international fashion brand, ROFEEA K, a business that blends African and Western styles in a sizzling showcase. As the proud owner of a sourcing and apparel production business that has been transforming designers’ dreams into reality since 2013, she has built a client list both at home and abroad. Rofiat is living proof that dedication and determination can make dreams come true. Rofiat’s fashion journey began with a simple blog and personal shopping business when she moved to the USA, which quickly opened the door to her passion for fashion design. With her savvy business skills, she was able to explore different sectors of the fashion industry to build her business. Rofiat is also a big believer in giving back to the community and empowering people by creating jobs and now employs 12 people.

Lovable Dladla, a South African entrepreneur building a growing bakery and baby food business

March 10, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Lovable Shiro Dladla, founder, Luvast emp (South Africa)

Lovable Shiro Dladla is the founder of Luvast emp in South Africa, the umbrella company for her two companies, Luvast Bakery and Luvast Baby Pureer. Luvast emp started in 2020 and has been growing ever since. Luvast bakery deals with baked goods and also teaches baking lessons and caters specifically for children’s events. Luvast baby food for now just deals with baby food puree, an organic baby food puree with no preservatives or sweeteners. The business makes its baby food in its most natural form, and is currently in the process of being approved.

Roxanne Campbell, a goldsmith and jewellery designer building a luxury goods business in South Africa

March 10, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Roxanne Campbell, founder, designer & creative director, Victoria Orpen Jewellers (South Africa)

Roxanne Campbell is the founder, designer, and creative director of Victoria Orpen Jewellers, a luxury goods manufacturer and sales business launched in 2015 in South Africa. As an entrepreneur in the jewellery design and manufacturing industry, she is a goldsmith by profession. Roxanne recently completed an enterprise development programme in diamond manufacture and processing. Her work experience extends beyond a jeweller and diamantaires bench, to international trade shows in Paris, Miami, and New York, to liaising with clients in Scotland, London, Denmark, New Jersey, and Chicago for new business development and sales within the luxury goods sector.

Lwazikazi Kwaza, a South African entrepreneur designing and manufacturing luxury fragrances

March 2, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Lwazikazi Kwaza, founder and CEO, The Melanin House (South Africa)

Lwazikazi Kwaza is the founder and CEO of The Melanin House in South Africa, an Afro-centric manufacturing powerhouse that currently designs and manufactures specialized luxury fragrances in all categories. The Melanin House was founded in 2020 with the aim to represent the elite African luxury market, where simplicity meets elegance, in an afro-centric, majestic, and fragrant way. The Melanin House manufactures utilizing the highest quality standards guidelines such as the SABS ISO:9001. This ensures high-quality fragrances are manufactured with sustainability in the process through the use of organic products. The Melanin House is committed to producing high-quality fragrances that tell fragrant and majestic African stories, which will remain in the charts of African-conscious business history, through memory.

Nuria Arbelo, a unique earring design brand builder in Mozambique

March 2, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Nuria Arbelo, founder, Brincadeira (Mozambique)

Nuria Arbelo is the founder of Brincadeira, a vibrant earrings brand with an exclusive design located in Maputo, Mozambique. Born in the Canary Islands, Nuria arrived in Mozambique for work in 2018. In 2021, she founded Brincadeira without knowing that, two years later, the brand would lead her to leave her profession as a project manager to become an entrepreneur dedicated to the design of unique earrings.

Refilwe Mongwaketse, an entrepreneur building a personal shopping and styling brand in South Africa

February 25, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Refilwe Mongwaketse, founder, Thuma Mina Personal Shopping (South Africa)

Born in the town of Kanye, Botswana, Refilwe Mongwaketse is the vibrant, energetic, and passionate founder of Thuma Mina Personal Shopping in South Africa. While her career background lies in Architecture and the Construction industry, Refilwe’s heart has always been drawn toward the captivating world of Personal Styling and Interior Design. Based in the bustling city of Johannesburg, South Africa, she has embarked on a journey fuelled by her unrelenting entrepreneurial spirit. For Refilwe, the transformative power of clothes has always been undeniable. She firmly believes that when we look good, we also feel good, allowing us to show up as our highest selves and perform at our peak level. Through Thuma Mina Personal Shopping, Refilwe has been able to ignite that fire within others and that has helped them to fulfil their dreams.

Olubunmi Otufowora, a Nigerian pioneer building a growing nutritious drinks brand

February 18, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Olubunmi Otufowora, founder, Boomsky Smoothies (Nigeria)

Olubunmi Otufowora is the founder of Boomsky Smoothies, a leading indigenous fruit processing and distribution company in Nigeria that produces 100% natural smoothies and juices. Operating for over a decade, Boomsky Smoothies was founded in 2010 and has bridged the gap between nutrition and busy executives who want a healthy drink on the go. With more than 14 years of experience in various senior leadership roles in one of Nigeria's top telecommunications firms, her strong professional insight has been instrumental in her success. Her passion for promoting healthy living through natural fruit drinks is evident in her company's exceptional growth and impact. Olubunmi is committed to positively impacting Nigeria's society by reducing post-harvest food loss. Her business is aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 3, and 12, and her efforts are reflected in the sustainable growth of Boomsky Smoothies over the years. Today the business employs 28 people.

Moleboheng (Lebo) Nhamahango, a Mozambican surface pattern designer bringing creative life to everyday items

February 18, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Moleboheng (Lebo) Nhamahango, founder and CEO, Nerah Decór (Mozambique)

Moleboheng (Lebo) Nhamahango is the founder and CEO of Nerah Decór in Mozambique, an online surface pattern design company. Lebo designs the patterns in Mozambique and then uploads them to the Red Bubble portal which allows her to coordinate her design prints on different surfaces according to a client's order. Through the Red Bubble portal, it allows Lebo to print and ship her product designs from USA to any country in the world. Lebo makes it easy for clients to access her designs, and by simply putting the Nerah Decór website in a client's URL, that client links to the online store where they can order according to their desire and collect their order on their doorstep!

Palesa Mkhulisi, a South African PR and marketing entrepreneur focused on creating value for clients

February 11, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Palesa Mkhulisi, founder, The Link PR and Marketing Solutions (South Africa)

Palesa Mkhulisi is the founder of The Link PR and Marketing Solutions in South Africa, a business focused on helping start-ups to create value, build long-term sustainability, and bring positive changes to their communities through tailored marketing and PR solutions. She is a 24-year-old entrepreneur with a passion for social development and a commitment to solving real-world problems. Raised in Soweto a township in Johannesburg she developed an early appreciation for the power of community and the impact that businesses can have on society. Beyond her role as an entrepreneur, Palesa actively participates in various community outreach programs and advising young business leaders. She is dedicated to fostering the next generation of socially aware entrepreneurs.

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