Tamara Watkins & Akila Hunte - The startup story of two passionate online fashion retailers opening global markets to African women designers

April 23, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Tamara Watkins, co-founder of shopDOKU.com — **Tamara Watkins**, co-founder of shopDOKU.com

One of the key challenges often facing talented and ambitious African women fashion designers is how to access global markets and successfully position their brands to international buyers. Tamara Watkins and her business partner Akila Hunte have a solution - their passion for raising awareness of emerging design talent, particularly from the African continent, led the team to set up an online marketplace, shopDOKU.com, retailing the creations of emerging designers to buyers in North America and the United Kingdom.

Amy Sinovich - The startup story of a South African jewellery designer telling inspirational stories through her wearable art

April 22, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Amy Sinovich, founder of Resonate by amy — **Amy Sinovich**, founder of Resonate by amy

There is something truly wonderful about translating the power of storytelling into beautiful pieces of bespoke, wearable art that connect on a deeply personal level with the person commissioning it. Amy Sinovich is an incredibly talented South African jewellery designer that is one such storyteller par excellence. Every unique handcrafted piece she creates from precious metals and semi-precious stones tells its own story, inspired by nature, poetry and the life of the person for whom it is made.

Sheila Mokgoadi - The startup story of a woman building a handcrafted Afroluxe jewellery brand with a modern twist

April 22, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Sheila Mokgoadi, founder of Azura Luxury Handcrafts — **Sheila Mokgoadi**, founder of Azura Luxury Handcrafts

Inspired by the unique, joyous nature of traditional African jewellery design, Sheila Mokgoadi’s luxury brand, Azura Luxury Handcrafts, has created a range of bold, chic and highly desirable pieces that appeals to the most sophisticated global buyers. Her dedication to ensuring the highest levels of craftsmanship, combined with a fiercely modern design aesthetic, are what make this African luxury jewellery brand so unique.

Save the date! Bold Kampala's world tour to arrive in Kigali on 16th May

April 21, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The Bold Kampala World Tour continues at a pace, hot on the heels of the team's great success in London recently. This time, the Bold Kampala team is heading to Kigali in Rwanda to showcase some of the most fabulous fashion items in its latest pop-up store concept.

Rapelang Rabana - The startup story of an entrepreneur harnessing the power of technology to empower learning

April 21, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Rapelang Rabana, founder & CEO of Rekindle Learning — **Rapelang Rabana**, founder & CEO of Rekindle Learning

A long-term interest in learning and education, combined with a belief that mobile and internet technology will be instrumental in solving a number of socio-economic challenges at scale, led successful techpreneur, Rapelang Rabana, to establish Rekindle Learning. This highly innovative learning and development company is using the power of mobile and computer learning applications to enable access to knowledge in the palm of their hands.

Natalie and Kim Ellis - The startup story of The Joinery who are part of a new design wave in Slow Fashion

April 20, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Natalie & Kim Ellis, founders of The Joinery — **Natalie & Kim Ellis**, founders of The Joinery

Around the world, there is a growing awareness about the need for a more ethically mindful and less environmentally impactful approach to be taken by the fashion industry. Two South African fashionpreneurs are passionately committed to a new Slow Fashion movement which combines a passion for design with a more environmental friendly approach and footprint, and a strong social conscience.

African Women In Technology Take A Huge Step

April 20, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Source: Modern Ghana | by Raindolf Owusu | 20 April 2015

In the past few years there has been a flourishing number of self-organisation amongst African women in technology. Many focus on encouraging women entering the field as coders, IT managers and to establish enterprises that increase women's socio-economic well-being. Projects have also focused on improving self-reliance and livelihoods in rural areas.

5 Top tips to keep you motivated as a solopreneur

April 19, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Guest Blog: by Lireko Dorothy Ncube

It is sometimes hard to stay motivated when the business environment is looking gloomy, compounded by the fact that the regional economy is having its share of ups and downs, ultimately driving most solopreneurs crazy.

'Women in Tech Africa' lead the way to build a pan-African network for women in the tech sector

April 19, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Members of Women in Tech Africa — Members of Women in Tech Africa

Working in technology can, at times, be an isolating experience for women, especially in Africa. The impact of this can limit women’s professional growth in the sector. Women need mentors, role-models and a network in order to share their experiences, challenges and skills. 'Women in Tech Africa' are providing a solution by building a pan-African network for the continent's women in the tech sector.

The Bold Kampala team take London by storm with their trendy fashion Pop-Up Store

April 19, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The Bold Kampala team have returned to the continent following a highly successful tour to London, UK. Whilst there, they launched their Bold Kampala Pop-Up store on Saturday 14 March at the highly trendy Milk Room at the Grace Bar in Great Windmill Street, right in the heart of the bustling West End.

Lionesses of Africa celebrates Africa’s Women Fashionpreneurs during the month of April

April 19, 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, services and craftsmanship, and their passion for what they do. This month (April), we are turning our attention to the truly inspirational African Women Fashionpreneurs.

Press Release: Fashion Revolution Day in Cape Town on the 24th April 2015

April 19, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Fashion Revolution Day on the 24th April 2015, is an international day and opportunity to celebrate fashion as a positive influence, raise awareness of the fashion industry's most pressing issues, show that change is possible and celebrate those who are on a journey to create a more ethical and sustainable future for fashion.

Essential Read: Dream It, Launch It, Live It by Victoria Colligan

April 18, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Victoria Colligan, author, mother, founder and CEO of Ladies Who Launch — **Victoria Colligan**, author, mother, founder and CEO of Ladies Who Launch

Founder/CEO of Women Who Launch, Victoria Colligan, uses as its starting point the notion that every woman is the entrepreneur of her own life. It recognises that no matter what the project, hobby, passion, start-up, business expansion, or career/life change of direction, women are always in the process of launching something.

Interview with leading Kenyan techpreneur Dorcas Muthoni

April 18, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Dorcas Muthoni, founder & CEO of Open World, Kenya

As part of LoA’s continuing focus on 'Women in Tech', we took time out of the busy schedule of successful Kenyan techpreneur, Dorcas Muthoni, to chat about her own entrepreneurial journey and the building of her impressive company, Open World.

Entrepreneur Advice from Dr. Jennifer Riria - Mentorship, like any good business plan, needs to be structured and done in levels

April 16, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding — **Dr. Jennifer Riria**, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding

Women need to see that it can be done....

"My definition of mentors is people who will get women to move to the next level. It is not the ones who say ‘be good and be nice,’ no. Whatever it takes to move you to the next level, take it. Mentorship is a slow process, perhaps even slower for women being mentored into leadership roles because they will also be breaking the barriers of culture and the ladders of tradition at the same time."

- Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding and one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs who has always been on a mission to transform the lives of women and their families in her native Kenya. She is distinguished as a microfinance banker and practitioner, researcher and gender specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally. In 2013 she was awarded the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the year, East Africa 2013, and subsequently, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014, at which point she was admitted to EY’s Global Hall of Fame.

10 Top tips to help you to find the perfect Virtual Assistant

March 30, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The reality is that behind every successful entrepreneur is one person who takes care of these must-do’s for them. And, a Virtual Assistant is the perfect solution for this. Now you may be wondering how do I go about finding this perfect Virtual Assistant?

5 simple tips to stop you wasting time and instead make the most of every minute

March 29, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Guest Blog: by Lireko Dorothy Ncube

Tick tock, tick tock – let’s be honest, we have all sat listening to the sound of a clock ticking away the hours and minutes whilst we procrastinate about doing the things we really need to be doing. But the reality is that time really doesn’t wait for anyone, so we all need to stop the habit of saying: “I will do it tomorrow”. Here are 5 simple tips to stop your procrastinating.

Ugochi Ugbomeh - The startup story of a Nigerian techpreneur changing the face of public mobility in her country

March 29, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Ugochi Ugbomeh, co-founder of Tranzit, Nigeria — **Ugochi Ugbomeh**, co-founder of **Tranzit**, Nigeria

Ugochi Ugbomeh is a woman who thinks big and harnesses of the power of technology to make a difference. Her entrepreneurial vision is for her company to become a curator of truly world-class transportation, location based and mobility services in Africa, effectively moving people and things from one destination to another.