Connect to a Deeper Purpose

October 6, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Keep your eye on the cathedral.... A man stops at a huge construction site and asks one of the workers, 'What are you doing?'. The worker replies 'I'm laying bricks'. Still puzzled, the man asks another worker 'What are you doing?'. This man replies 'I am helping to build a cathedral that will glorify God for centuries'.

Olatorera Oniru - The startup story of a Nigerian entrepreneur on a mission to grow her company to become one of the leading fashion retailers in Africa

October 5, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Olatorera Oniru, founder of dressmeoutlet.com (Nigeria) — **Olatorera Oniru**, founder of dressmeoutlet.com (Nigeria)

In Nigeria’s rapidly growing fashion retail marketplace, Olatorera Oniru and her soon to be launched new online retail platform are on a mission to contribute to the growth of local manufacturing in the areas of fashion and health & beauty in the country.

EVENT WATCH: Lynette Hundermark of Useful and Beautiful set to share her path to entrepreneurial success

October 5, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Lynette Hundermark, Managing Director and co-Founder of Useful and Beautiful (South Africa) — **Lynette Hundermark**, Managing Director and co-Founder of Useful and Beautiful (South Africa)

This week sees one of South Africa’s leading mobile solutions entrepreneurs, Lynette Hundermark, Managing Director and co-Founder of Useful and Beautiful, taking to the speaker platform. She will be addressing delegates at the Achieve Success Summit 2015 on 7th October at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre in Swaziland. The event positions itself as the Region's #1 Success Seminar and aims to help attendees to develop a wealth creation attitude by learning the psychology of success, unlocking a real "Can do" Attitude, and creating the right strategies to achieve success.

New e-book celebrates Lionesses of Africa through the power of images

October 4, 2015 Melanie Hawken

They say that a picture says a thousand words, and we couldn't agree more. In the world of Lionesses of Africa, we celebrate women's entrepreneurship in all its forms on the continent, and we love the powerful images that conjure up the spirit of women-owned businesses and the products and services they create. These images give us an insight into the unique creativity that exists here in Africa and that is capturing the imagination of the world.

Linda Mukangoga & Candy Basomingera - The startup story of a dynamic Rwandan design team with a passion for their country’s unique aesthetic and talented artisans

October 4, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Linda Mukangoga & Candy Basomingera, founders of haute | baso (Rwanda) — **Linda Mukangoga & Candy Basomingera**, founders of haute | baso (Rwanda)

There is something about young women entrepreneurs in Africa who not only are on a mission to promote the art and design culture they love, but who also see it as a vehicle for positive change. Linda Mukangoga and Candy Basomingera, the founders of haute | baso in Rwanda, are creating contemporary design products that celebrate the craftsmanship of local and regional artisans from their country. The result is dynamic, vibrant and uniquely beautiful.

Public Interest Registry appoints Dorcas Muthoni to Enset's Board of Directors

October 2, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Dorcas Muthoni, founder and ceo of OpenWorld (Kenya) — **Dorcas Muthon**i, founder and ceo of OpenWorld (Kenya)

RESTON, Va. – September 30, 2015 – Public Interest Registry — the not-for-profit manager of .org, .ngo and .ong — today announced the appointment of Dorcas Muthoni to the board of directors of nonprofit domain registrar Enset, a subsidiary organization. Muthoni, a member of the Internet Hall of Fame and CEO and founder of OPENWORLD LTD, will begin a two-year term as director this month.

Quote of the Day

October 2, 2015 Melanie Hawken

"Competition is normal and makes for good quality products at good prices to consumers. We have to ensure that we get our positioning right – be an afropolitan brand with a striking label and irresistible story."

- Malmsey Rangaka is co-founder and CEO of M’hudi Wines, a family wine farm located in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The M’hudi wine brands are sold not only in South Africa but also the US, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Nigeria. M’hudi was founded in 1999 by Malmsey and her husband, and is said to be the first black-owned wine tourism farm in South Africa.

Entrepreneur Advice from Uche Pedro: Look inwards and find your passion

October 2, 2015 Melanie Hawken

You need to find your passion as a woman entrepreneur....

“There is no fixed career path. My advice is to look inwards, find your passion, find your niche and go for it! Don’t over-think it. While you are ‘thinking’ someone might launch your idea.”

- Uche Pedro is founder of BellaNaija.com, a company that develops and delivers exciting online content aimed at Nigerian and Pan-African audiences. Uche’s savvy grasp of media trends has led to BellaNaija.com becoming the go-to lifestyle, entertainment and fashion portal in Africa. Her website has established a loyal following amongst the young, cosmopolitan, upwardly mobile set in Nigeria, with over 1 million unique visitors and 9 million page views each month.

BOOK REVIEW: The Art of Kicking Ass Elegantly by Michelle Hext

October 1, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Michelle Hext, author, entrepreneur and Taekwondo Expert

"My passion is helping female entrepreneurs create high-end offerings that keep them firmly planted in their zone of genius, that place where they find their ultimate entrepreneurial sweet spot in a way that truly honour’s the vision they first set out to achieve."

She Leads Africa announce winners of their 2015 Entrepreneur Showcase

October 1, 2015 Melanie Hawken

L-R: Kambili Ngozi Ofili-Okonkwoi, Kasope Ladipo-Ajai and Ngozi Opara — L-R: Kambili Ngozi Ofili-Okonkwoi, Kasope Ladipo-Ajai and Ngozi Opara

She Leads Africa has hosted its 2015 Entrepreneur Showcase, with food manufacturing and packaging company OmoAlata, founded by Kasope Ladipo-Ajai, named as the winner of the pitch competition and walking away with the $10,000 first prize. Second place went to Kambili Ngozi Ofili-Okonkwo, founder of swimwear brand, KAMOKINI. The third place was scooped by Ngozi Opara, founder of hair extension startup, Heat Free Hair.

Entrepreneur Advice from Katherine-Mary Pichulik: Trust yourself and your artistic choices

October 1, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Katherine-Mary Pichulik, founder and designer behind Pichulik — **Katherine-Mary Pichulik**, founder and designer behind Pichulik

Top advice on life, art and business....

"Trust yourself and your artistic choices. Value your vision and unique articulation of beauty. Work hard. Be kind always, but set boundaries and terms of business up front. Arrogance and superiority is not exciting nor interesting – inspired and engaging is visionary. Practice silence and gratitude."

- Katherine-Mary Pichulik is the founder and Cape Town-based designer behind the Pichulik line of accessories. Katherine's wonderfully creative designs are inspired by her travels, artist friends, and the wonderful women she loves and admires. Pichulik pieces are hand-made from rope and collected materials – anything from shell to semi-precious stones. Founded in mid-2012, Pichulik has grown in leaps and has been featured in local and international publications and adorning catwalk models in collaborative fashion week shows with local labels Laslesso, Stefania Morland and Loin Cloth & Ashes.

Quote of the Day

September 30, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Paula Brown, co-founder and ceo of Okuhle Media — **Paula Brown**, co-founder and ceo of Okuhle Media

"Being an entrepreneur is not always a conscious decision, you find yourself simply following a passion and one day realise that you’re rather unqualified for the journey you’re on. It’s what you do next that matters. It’s been a challenging 13 years but what encourages us is the ability to change lives, sometimes in a big way, and sometimes just a little. It still feels good."

- Paula Brown, is co-founder and CEO of Cape Town-based Okuhle Media. Paula’s career highlights are numerous, including co-founding the company that produced and strategically managed the new children’s block, Craz-e for e.TV in South Africa. A mentor by nature, one of Paula’s strengths is her ability to recognize and develop the often-untapped potential within others.

Video: BRCK launches the Kio Kit to boost internet access and education in Africa's primary school classrooms

September 29, 2015 Melanie Hawken

BRCK Education was launched in Nairobi on 22 September with the aim of addressing many of the country’s education problems, which include a lack of access to the Internet and technology, unreliable electricity supply, high mobile data costs, and lack of technological literacy by both teachers and learners.

Success needs a superb team

September 29, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Many entrepreneurs think a good idea will ensure success. Then they present their idea to an investor and get the response below.

Video: Tammy Frazer - The art of creating fragrances

September 29, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Tammy Frazer is the founder of Frazer Parfum, a small perfume house in South Africa. In this fascinating video she provides an insight into the world of a master perfumer who is passionate about creating organic and natural perfume products.

Entrepreneur Advice from Amanta Hooman - Keep moving forward

September 29, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Amanta Hooman, founder of Flavour Union (South Africa) — **Amanta Hooman**, founder of Flavour Union (South Africa)

Keep on moving forward....

"Never give up. It is always slower than expected in the start-up phase. That's ok. Keep on moving."

- Amanta Hooman is a young South African woman entrepreneur who is producing a wonderful new range of truffle-based gourmet products under her new label Flavour Union. She is working with the most committed and passionate individuals within their fields to deliver a burst of flavour that shouts “Africa” ...combined with the heritage of the European food-diamond, the truffle.

Quote of the Day

September 29, 2015 Melanie Hawken

“Across the world, it has become a global agenda that women must be empowered economically. It makes good economic sense because women have a natural instinct to do certain things. If you empower a woman, she tends to invest her earnings into the household, into the education of her children, and they go out to contribute to their communities, the nation and the African continent. So, why not give women the same opportunities men have?"

- Irene Ochem is the Founder and CEO of ICO Conferences & Events Limited the organisers of amongst other high profile events, the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum. Irene had a long career of over 10 years with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in Italy, where she held various positions in administration management. Subsequently, she was Research Administration Manager at University of Cape Town, South Africa and worked as an International Consultant for United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and African Union Commission (AUC) in Ethiopia. More recently, she was a Conference Producer and Programme Director with a leading South African-based conference and event management company where she has produced Africa’s largest power and utilities conferences and exhibitions.

E4Impact launches new business ideas competition open to women in Uganda

September 28, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Last month, we shared information from E4Impact in Italy about their exciting MBA in Impact Entrepreneurship here in Africa. Today, they are announcing a great new Business Idea Competition (BIC) to be held in Kampala, Uganda.