Following her highly successful journey in the world of television, media and magazine publishing, this leading South African entrepreneur has now launched her latest business venture in luxury retailing.
Read moreWendren Setzer - The startup story of a woman crafting beautiful bags from recovered and repurposed materials
Wendren Setzer, founder of The Wren Design
This creative woman quit her job as a textile designer at a clothing factory to pursue a passion for creating beautiful and functional bags from discarded materials.
Read moreMoria Kasher & Christine Tozer - The startup story of the creators of beautiful table linens good enough to wear
Christine Tozer, co-founder of Toka Linen (Top left)
Two South African women with a background in fashion are today using their unique design aesthetic and manufacturing experience to create beautiful table linens.
Read moreDeola Sagoe - The startup story of this leading lady of the African haute couture fashion
Deola Sagoe, founder of Deola fashion house
With top models, A-List celebrities and famous society personalities making up her clientele lists, Deola Sagoe, founder of haute couture fashion house Deola, is an entrepreneurial success story of note.
Read moreWendy Ackerman- The start up story of a retail doyen and a committed philanthropist
Wendy Ackerman, co-founder and executive director, Pick n Pay
This incredible woman not only contributed to building Pick n Pay Group as a socially responsible retail empire, but has also devoted her life to making a difference to others in South Africa.
Read moreAdenike Ogunlesi - The startup story of a market leader in designer children’s clothing in West Africa
Adenike Ogunlesi, founder and ceo of Ruff'n Tumble
This highly successful Nigerian designer went from selling clothes from the boot of her car to becoming a world class children’s clothing brand.
Read moreQuote of the Day
“If it doesn’t scare you, you’re probably not dreaming big enough.”
- Tory Burch is an American fashion designer and entrepreneur. In addition to being the CEO behind an internationally-renowned clothing line bearing her name, she is also the philanthropic driving force of the Tory Burch Foundation which aims to support women business owners and their families.
Read moreKofo Akinkugbe - The startup story of a Nigerian innovator and technology market leader
Kofo Akinkugbe, founder of Secure ID
This remarkable Nigerian woman founded a company that is recognised globally as a market leader in Africa's smart card technology and digital security industry.
Read moreCaroline McCann - The startup story of a butcher with a passion for ethically reared meat
This lawyer turned butcher is passionate about the 100% certified free-range, grass-fed and ethically reared meat she sources from farmers she gets to know and trust.
Read moreSarah Taylor - the startup story behind the Bee Balmy range of skin balms
Sarah Taylor, founder of Bee Balmy
A journalist-turned-natural skincare product entrepreneur works with nature to create a range of soothing and healing skin balms, bringing relief for allergy sufferers.
Read moreJeanette Phasha - The startup story of this Limpopo-based clothing and textile manufacturer
Jeanette Phasha and sister Charlotte, the creative duo behind Baroka Fashions
This South African, Limpopo-based clothing and textile manufacturer is successfully carving a niche for herself producing ladies clothing, bags, accessories and printed fabrics.
Read moreQuote of the Day
"You need to trust your gut – you have to be hard-headed and have selective hearing in regards to the negativity that come from other people. This is not something you'll learn in school."
- Bobbi Brown is a professional makeup artist and the founder and CCO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. She became a name in the cosmetics business by pushing moderation. In the 1980s, when look-at-me colors, stark contours, and shiny red lips were in fashion, Bobbi designed cosmetics to highlight a woman's natural look. She had moved to New York City in 1980 with a degree in theatrical makeup and a beginner's portfolio. Before the decade was done, she'd hustled her way from freelance makeup artist at magazine shoots to product designer with her name behind a global brand.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Tara Fela-Durotoye: You can build big things from small beginnings
You can build a big business from small, humble beginnings....
".... As an undergraduate, while I was still in school I started a business. I started with just fifteen thousand Naira. It is less than the cost of a Blackberry phone. Today, House of Tara has over 3,000 Sales Representatives across Nigeria. House of Tara has offices in 25 States in this country. In Abuja alone, we have two branches. We are in Kaduna, Kano, Ilorin, Port Harcourt, Abuja, etc. My company is big."
- Tara Fela-Durotoye is a Nigerian-born lawyer turned Africa's leading beauty and makeup entrepreneur. She started House of Tara at the age of 20, from her living room, whilst an undergraduate at university back in 1998. She's since gone on to launch Nigeria's first ever bridal directory in 1999, and in 2004 she opened the country's leading beauty academy. Today, Tara has over 3,000 reps spread across Nigeria and 14 stores to her name and she is steadfastly dedicated to realising her vision of building a globally respected beauty company of African origin. Tara remains an inspirational role-model and mentor to make-up artists and aspiring beauty business owners across Africa.
Read moreTime interview: Q&A with Nigeria’s Flying Doctor Ola Orekunrin
Source: Time | September 12, 2014
British-Nigerian doctor Ola Orekunrin may be only 28, but she’s already founded Nigeria’s first emergency air ambulance service. Flying Doctors has become an essential service, airlifting patients from remote areas to hospitals, and providing care en route. It has helped hundreds of patients, particularly employees in the country’s oil and gas sector, who are among Flying Doctors’ top clients.
Read moreQuote of the Day
"I used to watch my mother negotiate at the market. People may not look at their mothers’ as a leader, but they truly have all the skills that demonstrate leadership."
- Sibongile Sambo is a pioneering woman of South African aviation. She is founder and Chief Executive Officer of SRS Aviation Ltd., the first 100 percent black, female-owned aviation services company in South Africa. Launched in 2004, SRS is an integrated provider of private aviation services offering South African and international clients professional and personalized flight options including VIP Charter, tourist charter and helicopter services, to destinations around the world. Today, the company also provides maintenance, sales and fleet management services to private jet owners.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice for Julian Omalla: Don't rush into borrowing money for your business
You should consider banks as the last resort when looking for sources of funds ....
"First establish yourself then think of borrowing. When I borrowed, I noticed that my business was not growing as fast as I thought—it slowed me down, .... I started with personal savings and I think that is the best way.”
- Julian Adyeri Omalla is one of Uganda's top female entrepreneurs. She is founder, chairperson and managing director of Delight Uganda Limited, producing the country's most popular fruit drink sold under the brand name 'Cheers'. Julian has diversified into a range of other business activities, including egg and poultry farming, maize-feed production, a flour mill and bakery, a student hostel for 400, as well as coordinating women’s farmer cooperatives that provide food aid into Sudan. Today, Julian employs over 1,000 Ugandans and exports to countries such as Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan and Zaire.
Read moreSwaady Martin - The startup story of this stylish purveyor of African Luxury
Swaady Martin-Leke, founder and CEO of Yswara
The story of an Afropolitan entrepreneur building a unique global luxury brand by creating elegant, high-end products using the continent’s finest natural resources.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Aissa Dione: Entrepreneurs often have to swim against the tide to realise their dreams
Reviving an industry; creating jobs; starting a new venture - sometimes this means you have to swim against the tide of conventional thinking....
"I do realize that I am swimming against the economic tide .... But at the same time, I know that this is the only way you can develop. We are showing the way forward."
- Aïssa Dione, a renowned Senegalese painter and textile designer, founded the company that bears her name, Aissa Dione Tissus back in 1992. Her mission: to revive Senegal's traditional and unique fabric weaving craftsmanship and build a production chain that is truly '100% Made in Senegal'. Her approach is to combine unique design, know-how and artisan craftsmanship to transform African grown cotton into a valuable product. She has succeeded in this, building a high-end fabric brand underpinned by centuries old cotton processing and weaving skills. Today, Aissa has more than 100 employees whose traditional handwoven fabrics are delivered to the absolute top-end interior design brands across Africa, Europe and the United States. Aissa's designs and fabrics grace major design salons and brands such as Hermés, Fendi, Christian Liaigre and Peter Marino.
Read moreAfrica's Top 100 Young Business Leaders List Features 7 Women Entrepreneurs
This month, the Choiseul Institute of France has just published its inaugural list of Africa’s 100 Most Promising Young Business Leaders Under the Age of 40, and making the rankings are seven women entrepreneurs, our Lionesses of Africa.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Adenike Ogunlesi: Get people to believe in your dream
The challenge is getting people to believe in your dream....
“The typical challenges that most start-ups would face would be definitely finance and getting people to believe in your dream. But being able to articulate this in a business plan is one of the ways you can overcome that challenge.”
- Adenike 'Nike' Ogunlesi is the founder of Ruff 'n' Tumble a leading designer, manufacturer and retailer of designer children's clothing in Nigeria. Nike started out modestly in 1996 selling the clothes she made from the boot of her car and in bazaars. Today, Ruff 'n' Tumble is an instantly recognisable brand in Nigeria and has a reputation for being one of the top manufacturers of children's clothing throughout West Africa. Ruff 'n' Tumble successfully caters to the unique fashion sense of today’s youngsters, from new born to age 16, happily mixing indigenous lifestyle trends with an international appeal.
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