Are you using LinkedIn to its fullest potential? I sure hope so! LinkedIn is my all time favorite social media site. It's the place to see and be seen. So, in order to get the best value from LinkedIn I've compiled a couple of pointers I would love to share with you. Who knows, you may too experience the magic of LinkedIn and see excellent returns on your business growth!
Read morePODCAST: Robyn Britz, co-founder of Zana talks about building her homeware, accessories and furniture brand
Robyn Britz (L), co-founder of ZANA (South Africa)
LoA got to chat with Robyn Britz earlier this month at the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair - she is one half of the creative mother and daughter team behind the Zana brand. Robyn shared the ups and downs of her entrepreneurial journey so far in the competitive world of homeware, accessory, fabric and furniture design, and how Zana is managing to stand out from the crowd.
Read moreQuote of the Day
Lani Stenvert, founder of Good Dog Designs
“Step out of your comfort zone and do what makes you happy”
- Lani Stenvert is the founder of Johannesburg-based graphic design company, Good Dog Designs. She made the tenacious move from design studio employee to graphic design solopreneur and in the process found freedom of expression and a unique design style all of her own. Lani is one of a growing number of successful African solopreneurs in the design industry who are thriving in their own creative spaces and, at the same time, producing innovative and quality design work to be proud of.
Read moreDanielle Goldman - The startup story of a serial entrepreneur in South Africa using her vast experience of China to create a new product sourcing agency
Danielle Goldman, founder of Guanxi Connections Ltd.
Understanding the global marketplace is increasingly more important for African companies and getting access to specialist products is also key. Danielle Goldman, founder of Guanxi Connections Ltd, a digital marketing and design agency in China, and now incorporating a China sourcing agency here in South Africa, is looking to provide a solution and, importantly, bringing local market knowledge with her.
Read morePODCAST: LoA speaks to Anna Richerby, a woman happily reinventing the ancient craft of beadwork
Anna Richerby, founder of Beloved Beadwork (South Africa). Image: Michael Griffin
Founded in 2009, Beloved Beadwork is a company of twelve women passionately committed to the preservation and elaboration of the beadwork tradition. LoA caught up with founder and designer Anna Richerby at the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair in Johannesburg to learn about this inspiring venture. Listen to our fascinating interview.
Read moreEssential Read: From Gomba to the White House: The journey of an African Woman Entrepreneur by Rehmah Kasule
Rehmah Kasule, author and entrepreneur
This book is not just a story; it is a personal and business development tool that will practically teach you how to believe in yourself, learn how to dare to be different, to share, learn, and collaborate with others. It will teach you the power of networking, mentorship, and paying it forward. It will teach you that each one of us can make a difference and that you can achieve anything in life as long as you know who you are, believe in yourself, and have confidence.
Read moreFinancial Smarts for Women Entrepreneurs: The Dark Side to Compound Interest and why you need to keep your friendly Banker in the loop
In the latest of a series of guest blogs that look at issues around financial management for women entrepreneurs, this week our focus is on understanding how Compound Interest works, and why it is so important to keep your friendly Banker on side.
Read moreMacy’s Commemorates 10 Years of Rwanda Path to Peace Initiative with Gahaya Links
Willa Shalit, co-founder of Rwanda Path to Peace, Janet Nkubana, co-founder of Gahaya Links, and Terry J. Lundgren, Macy's chairman and CEO, attend Macy's 10th anniversary celebration of Rwanda Path to Peace at Macy's Herald Square in New York City. (Photo: Business Wire)
If there is one women-led, African social entreprise that springs to mind when we speak about the power of collaboration, it has to be Gahaya Links in Rwanda. The brainchild of sisters Joy Ndungutse and Janet Nkubana, this for-profit Rwandan handicraft company founded on the simple principle of women economic empowerment through fair-trade, is this month celebrating a decade-long partnership with the prestigious Macy’s retail group in the US, called the Rwanda Path to Peace initiative.
Read moreLilian Muhammed - The startup story of a South African Afroluxe fashion accessory brand builder with a passion for making local and buying local
Lilian Muhammed, founder of LONDRÉ TAN (South Africa)
Afroluxe brands are making quite a name for themselves on the global fashion scene right now, and South African entrepreneur, Lilian Muhammed, is looking to put her LONDRÉ TAN brand in the spotlight with her luxury fashion accessories, all proudly produced in her home country.
Read morePODCAST: Chinwe Ohajuruka shares what winning the Cartier Women's Award means to her
Chinwe Ohajuruka founder of Comprehensive Design Services at the 2015 Cartier Women's Initiative Awards Ceremony
Chinwe Ohajuruka, 52, lives in the United States and is of Nigerian heritage. Her 3 degrees in architecture and 3 accreditations in green building led to the creation of Comprehensive Design Services, a company that provides “comprehensive solutions to complex problems”, as Chinwe explains. She received her Cartier Women's Award in Paris on 15 October 2015 and in this interview she describes what it means to her personally and for her business moving forward.
Read moreCelebrating success! South African Opera Singer and Entrepreneur, Nozuko Teto, wows audiences at the 64th Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland
Nozuko Teto (Palmyra) and Jeff Gwaltney (SimonPerez)
As always, the annual Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland is a much anticipated event for opera lovers around the world, and this year was no exception. The event opened with the Frederick Delius opera, Koanga, featuring the talented South African opera singer and entrepreneur, Nozuko Teto in the role of Palmyra. She is receiving rave reviews for her wonderful performance.
Read morePODCAST: Linda Gieskes Mwamba talks about building her indie, natural, and African haircare brand, Suki Suki Naturals
Linda Gieskes Mwamba, founder of Suki Suki Naturals. Image by Michael Griffin
Meet Linda Gieskes Mwamba the founder of Suki Suki Naturals, an Indie, Natural, and African Hair Care Brand. Linda is the first natural African hair care brand to be invited to exhibit at the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair in Johannesburg. LoA caught up with her at this event in October 2015 and chatted with her about her exciting new haircare brand. Listen to our interview.
Read moreCreate an Emeritus Board
Successful ventures will need an exceptional management team. But your startup has a young team without a lot of experience or a track record that will impress people. What can you do? Create an "Emeritus Board" of advisors. Ask some of the best and brightest people in your field to join an advisory board for your company.
Read moreLorraine Steyn - The startup story of a South African techpreneur realising a vision for the building of an innovation focused software development company
Lorraine Steyn, founder of Khanyisa Real Systems (South Africa)
The tech sector has a wealth of exciting opportunies for entrepreneurs to make a difference and Lorraine Steyn, founder of Khanyisa Real Systems, is one such entrepreneur who has built a highly regarded and successful business, underpinned with a strong sense of wanting to do good in the world.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Pam Golding: There is no secret formula to success
There is no secret formula for entrepreneurs to follow....
“There is no secret formula to success … if you are determined, have integrity and passion, show that you care, remain honest and true to yourself and surround yourself with people that you take care to nurture it will lead to success.”
- Pam Golding is one of Africa's most successful women entrepreneurs and an icon of the real estate industry. She founded Pam Golding Properties in South Africa in 1976 with no start-up capital and just a single sales assistant. The company now has over 300 offices in Africa as well as international offices in the UK, Germany, France and Mauritius. It is one of South Africa’s largest independent property trading companies with 2010 turnover of US$1.7 billion. Pam is now retired from active management, but remains the Life President of the company she founded.
Read moreBilikiss Adebiyi: 'It’s money lying in the streets' - Meet the woman transforming recycling in Lagos
Bilikiss Adebiyi, co-founder of WeCyclers (Nigeria)
Source: The Guardian | by Athlyn Cathcart-Keays | 21 October 2015
Wecyclers began life as a student project – but Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola has since built it into a social enterprise that tackles the Nigerian capital’s waste crisis and empowers low-income communities to turn trash into cash.
Read moreEthel Cofie: Diversity in tech: Joining the boys for golf?
Ethel Cofie, founder and CEO of Edel Technology Consulting
Source: How We Made it in Africa | by Dinfin Mulupi | 20 October 2015
Silicon Valley’s diversity problem has been a subject of much debate in recent years. Women and minorities remain under-represented in tech companies and venture capital firms. In Africa’s tech industry, women are becoming more visible but they too face challenges.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Kerryne Krause-Neufeldt - Dot your i’s and cross your t’s
Kerryne Krause Neufeldt, founder of eyeSlices® (South Africa)
Build strong foundations....
"dot as many of your i’s and cross your t’s, always keeping the end goal in mind. Do everything from the start as if you were that global corporation, meaning with excellence, high standards, good corporate governance and integrity! Then keep walking and never give up!"
- Kerryne Krause-Neufeldt is founder of South African beauty and wellness company, eyeSlices®, a multi-award winning product range and a global first in Cryo-Gel technology. These cooling and soothing eye gels target puffiness, dark circles, tiredness, redness and wrinkles, and are re-usable up to ten times! Made with natural and organic extracts from the Swiss Alps, they are guaranteed to leave you feeling relaxed, restored and revived within minutes! Kerryne currently exports from South Africa to over 20 countries.
Read moreQuote of the Day
Chinwe Ohajuruka, founder and CEO of Comprehensive Design Services (Nigeria)
“There are parts of this country where women cannot own land or property. We intend to go and build there and we intend to ensure that at least 50% of our buildings are owned by women.”
- Chinwe Ohajuruka is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Design Services in Nigeria. Chinwe is a US-based architect who splits her time between the US & Nigeria working on sustainable housing development projects. She is a passionate championof green building solutions for Africa and she engineers and builds affordable green houses that are both energy and resource-efficient. Chinwe was selected as the Sub-Saharan laureate of the 2015 Cartier Women's Awards.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Susan Mashibe: Confront challenges with confidence and honesty
Susan Mashibe, founder of Via Aviation, Tanzania
Challenges are best met head-on with confidence and honesty....
"As a woman in business, and in a male-dominated field, I have encountered my share of obstacles; from the male airport officials who have blocked my entry to the aircraft I am working on, to clients to whom I must prove myself. I have also had to deal with corrupt officials who insist on being paid bribes for the simplest of tasks. When faced with these challenges, my approach has always been the same: to be confident and honest. I have confidence in my business, and the benefits we bring to clients and to the Tanzanian Government."
- Susan Mashibe is founder and executive director of VIA Aviation, an international fixed-base aircraft services operation and the first company of its kind in Tanzania. Susan is also the first woman in Tanzania to hold both a FAA certified commercial pilot and an aircraft maintenance engineering qualification. This passionate aviator left Tanzania at the tender age of 19 to learn to fly jetliners in the United States, later returning home to help reshape African private air travel.
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