FEAT. sock company - The startup story of two South African sock-loving entrepreneurs who turned their design passion into a business

March 12, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Alison Stewart and Chelsey Wilson, founders of FEAT. sock co, Cape Town — **Alison Stewart and Chelsey Wilson**, founders of FEAT. sock co, Cape Town

If you have ever spent time looking at people’s sock wearing habits, for the most part, they are boring and conventional. However, for two highly creative young South African designers and entrepreneurs, Alison Stewart and Chelsey Wilson, brightening up people’s daily footwear with beautiful, lovingly made, and ultimately fun socks, is a real passion and they have dedicated their business to making customers’ sock dreams come true!

Essential Read: Crazy Is a Compliment - The Power of Zigging When Everyone Else Zags by Linda Rottenberg

March 11, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Linda Rottenberg, CEO and co-founder of Endeavor, author of 'Crazy Is a Compliment' — **Linda Rottenberg**, CEO and co-founder of Endeavor, author of 'Crazy Is a Compliment'

Linda Rottenberg, the co-founder and CEO of Endeavour, in her new book, Crazy Is A Compliment: The Power of Zigging When Everyone Else Zags, (we love this book title!) encourages everyone to start thinking and acting like an entrepreneur. In today’s highly competitive and fast-paced world, she reminds us all of the need to be nimble, adaptive, daring—and maybe even a little crazy—or risk being left behind.

The secret to entrepreneurial success? Find your niche

March 11, 2015 Melanie Hawken

For many aspirant women entrepreneurs in Africa who have a particular specialist expertise or depth of experience in an industry sector, the key to getting going in business is having a great idea and finding a niche that you can slot into in order to achieve success. LoA guest blogger, Comfort Badaru, shares her personal thoughts on the importance of finding your niche.

Ijeoma Ndekwu - The startup story of a Nigerian PR entrepreneur who was born to be in business

March 10, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Ijeoma Ndekwu, founder of Redrick PR, Nigeria — **Ijeoma Ndekwu**, founder of Redrick PR, Nigeria

For Nigerian PR company founder, Ijeoma Ndekwu, becoming an entrepreneur was in her genes. From an early age, she took her inspiration from her successful entrepreneurial father who managed to achieve the freedom of work/life balance in his business, and showed her an alternative and entrepreneurial career path of her own was possible.

Africa’s young entrepreneurs are doing things differently

March 10, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Entrepreneurs are literally changing the face of business in Africa and the way that things are done. No longer do you need millions to start a business. In fact, your basic requirements are business savvy, a laptop, and access to as much support as you can get. Add to this the right kind of assistance, combined with a positive mindset and the right amount of ambition, and you’re good to go.

Quote of the Day

March 9, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Ethel Cofie, founder of Edel Technology Consulting (Ghana) — **Ethel Cofie**, founder of Edel Technology Consulting (Ghana)

"I have three passions: technology, women’s empowerment, and entrepreneurship. I exercise my love for these areas in various ways: I am a tech entrepreneur — I run an IT consultancy. I am the founder of the Women in Tech group in Ghana, and I am at the moment working on accelerator in Africa to help accelerate startups which want to launch in multiple African countries."

- Ethel Cofie is a Ghanaian-born entrepreneur and founder of Edel Technology Consulting. This techpreneur is passionate about technology, female leadership and empowering women entrepreneurs. Ethel is a Mandela Fellow for President Obama’s Young African Leaders initiative(YALI), and has beenfeatured in BBC and CNN for work in technology and women leadership. She is the founder of Women in Tech Ghana, initiator of the 1st Pan African woman in tech meetup and was shortlisted for the UN GEM Tech Award for her work supporting women in ICT.

Dr Christel Coetzee - The startup story of a South African entrepreneur leading the market in world-class animal nutrition

March 7, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Christel Coetzee, founder and technical director, ADVIT Animal Nutrition, South Africa — **Dr. Christel Coetzee**, founder and technical director, ADVIT Animal Nutrition, South Africa

When it comes to understanding animal nutrition needs, South African entrepreneur, Dr Christel Coetzee, and her specialist team at ADVIT Animal Nutrition, are an encyclopaedia of knowledge. Each day, the company’s leading experts and world-class facilities, produce a wide range of specialist animal feeds for all sorts of animals, from domestic pets and horses, through to food-producing farm animals such as pigs, poultry, cattle and sheep.

Celebrating Our Community: Missibaba take home the 'Maker to Market' Award at the annual Southern Guild Design Foundation Awards

March 6, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Chloe Townsend and Lizel Strydom, founders of Missibaba — **Chloe Townsend and Lizel Strydom**, founders of Missibaba

Congratulations to Missibaba who took home the 'Maker to Market' award in recognition of excellence at the annual Southern Guild Design Foundation Awards ceremony that took place recently. Missibaba is a luxury accessory label established by leather devotee Chloe Townsend in 2005. Passionate about South Africa and supporting local industry, Chloe works alongside business partner Lizel Strydom from a light flooded studio in Woodstock, Cape Town.

Video: 'Women in Tech' Month - LoA interviews inspirational techpreneur Nkemdilim Begho founder of Futuresoft in Nigeria

March 6, 2015 Melanie Hawken

As part of LoA 'Women in Tech' month, we spoke to the inspirational techpreneur Nkemdilim Begho, founder of Futuresoft in Nigeria, and a passionate supporter of women's entrepreneurship and empowerment through technology in Africa.

Quote of the Day

March 6, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Clare Akamanzi, Chief Operating Officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) — Clare Akamanzi, Chief Operating Officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB)

"Most of the big companies are owned by men; let's support each other as women so that we can also achieve such business success. This will not come easily, but it's a journey we need to embark on now"

- Clare Akamanzi is Chief Operating Officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). The RDB is a government institution whose vision is to transform Rwanda into a dynamic global hub for business, investment, and innovation. Prior to RDB, Clare was Deputy Director-General of the Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency (RIEPA), a position she held from 2006-2008. She was also Rwanda’s commercial diplomat in London and a trade negotiator in Geneva for the Government of Rwanda at the World Trade Organization. Clare is an international trade and investment lawyer.

International Women's Day: Interview with Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu who has created one of the world’s fastest growing footwear brands by betting on decent work

March 6, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, founder of soleRebels & Republic of Leather, Ethiopia — **Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu**, founder of soleRebels & Republic of Leather, Ethiopia

As part of International Women's Day celebrations ILO News spoke to Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, a young Ethiopian entrepreneur who has created one of the world’s fastest growing footwear brands by betting on decent work.

#MakeItHappen on March 8: Celebrating International Women's Day

March 6, 2015 Melanie Hawken

March 8 marks the celebration of International Women’s Day, a global observance day which started out in the early 1900s. This year, the theme of the day is "Make It Happen", a call to the world to help support the empowerment of women and to positively change women's lives.

Video: Tabitha Karanja discusses Keroche Breweries latest US$55 Million production expansion project

March 5, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Source: SABC News | Published on March 4, 2015

Tabitha Karanja, founder and CEO Of Kenya's Keroche Breweries talks about her latest move and major investment to increase her company's production capacity. Keroche Breweries plans to raise its share of the beer market by 20 percent over the coming twelve months. It started in 1997 as a wine maker, then diversified into beer and spirits in 2008.

Watch out world - the women fashion entrepreneurs of Bold Kampala are coming to a city near you with their fabulous store concept!

March 5, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Our favourite fashionistas at Bold Kampala are living up to their name, as they are about to embark on their first-ever, hugely exciting world tour, taking their concept store to cities from London to Nairobi, Kigali to Luanda.

Vanhu Vamwe - The startup story of a unique accessory designer whose African heritage is woven into the very fabric of her handbags

March 5, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, founder Vanhu Vamwe — **Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri**, founder Vanhu Vamwe

Fashion journalist turned highly successful global accessory designer, Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, understands the power of story-telling in African culture. She is drawing on that inspiration to create highly sculptural, extraordinarily beautiful handbags that are deeply rooted in her African heritage, yet have a fresh, contemporary look. These are unique accessories to treasure.

Lionesses of Africa celebrates Africa’s Women in Tech during the month of March

March 4, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Every month at Lionesses of Africa, we shine a spotlight on a particular industry sector where Africa’s women entrepreneurs are making a real impact, through their businesses, their innovation, their products and services, and their passion for what they do. This month (March), we are turning our attention to the truly inspirational African Women in Tech, those truly innovative pioneers who are building unique, high impact businesses and shaking up the tech world at the same time through their efforts.

Kenya's Keroche Breweries eyes market share surge to 20 percent

March 3, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Kenya's Keroche Breweries is investing 5 billion shillings ($55 million) to increase its capacity tenfold and help it grow its share of the alcohol market six-fold to 20 percent in about a year, its chief executive said. Founder, Tabitha Karanja told the Reuters Africa Investment Summit the money was being used to build a new 1 million hectolitres-a-year brew house and bottling line to be launched this month that would help the company raise its market share from 3 percent.

InstaHealth - The startup story of a health-tech company providing vital access to health information at the swipe of a smartphone screen

March 3, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Brenda Katwesigye, co-founder InstaHealth, Uganda — **Brenda Katwesigye,** co-founder InstaHealth, Uganda

Brenda Katwesigye is a tech entrepreneur with a passion for making a difference in Uganda’s health sector by harnessing her considerable telecommunications skills. Her company, InstaHealth, has developed a new mobile app which instantly connects users to health centres, medical specialists and ambulance services, using simple technology that ordinary people in Uganda can use. Together with her co-Founder, Elizabeth Kasujja, these are two African woman entrepreneurs finding innovative solutions to everyday challenges by using the power of technology.

15 African Designing Women tempting the world’s buyers with their globally appealing creations

March 1, 2015 Melanie Hawken

As February comes to an end, we reflect on what has been a really wonderful and particularly colourful month, as we have been celebrating some of Africa's finest and most creative women designers. From fashion designers and jewellery makers, to glorious shoemakers and architectural designers to name but a few, we have shared their inspirational stories and showcased their work. There is such a wealth of design talent here in Africa and it has been a pleasure showcasing just a few of them.