Raheel Muhammad - The startup story of a South African entrepreneur who started her niche business by providing specialist services to SMEs

November 17, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Raheel Muhammad, founder of HM Holdings (South Africa) — **Raheel Muhammad**, founder of HM Holdings (South Africa)

Often, the most difficult part of any entrepreneurial journey is finding a niche to slot into, and differentiating yourself from the market place. In the case of Raheel Muhammad, founder of HM Holdings and its consulting arm, HM Consulting, she saw the opportunity to use her many years’ of experience in franchise management and designing operations manuals in order to help SMEs to thrive.

South Africa’s inspirational women entrepreneurs take on the International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge in Turkey

November 17, 2015 Melanie Hawken

A great group shot of Margaret Hirsch with some of the winners from around the globe.

The prestigious 9th IWEC - International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge and Awards event is currently taking place in Istanbul, Turkey, and one of South Africa’s most respected and successful women entrepreneurs is one of the invited guest speakers at the event. Margaret Hirsch, the co-founder and Chief Operations Executive of Hirschs, has been invited to speak about her work, her philosophy on women’s economic participation and upliftment, and her own entrepreneurial journey. She was joined by fellow South African entrepreneurs Shona McDonald from Shonaquip and Wendy Kemp from Accountability in Cape Town.

Let’s celebrate the Decade of the African Woman Entrepreneur on Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, 19th November 2015

November 16, 2015 Melanie Hawken

This is a great time to be a woman entrepreneur in Africa. It is a time for the world to sit up and take notice of the millions of women entrepreneurs who are building successful businesses and brands, empowering and uplifting communities, and inspiring others through their efforts across the African continent. The 2nd Women’s Entrepreneurship Day on 19th November 2015, held at the United Nations headquarters in New York as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, will provide an unprecedented opportunity for Africa’s incredible women entrepreneurs to get the world talking.

What exactly is your Accountant talking about and your Banker getting excited over?

November 16, 2015 Melanie Hawken

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 the numbers in our businesses.

Yolanda Ndhlovu - The startup story of a South African entrepreneur combining a love for recycling, jewellery design and fashion into a business

November 16, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Yolanda Ndhlovu, co-founder of Green Mat Designs (South Africa) — **Yolanda Ndhlovu**, co-founder of Green Mat Designs (South Africa)

Green Mat Designs is the inspiration of young South African entrepreneur, Yolanda Ndhlovu, who is passionate about going ‘green’ and thinking more about taking an environmentally friendly approach to design. Her jewellery, fashion and interior decor pieces reflect her love of recycling, particularly for vintage beads and clothing.

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

November 16, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Uche Pedro, founder of BellaNaija.com — **Uche Pedro**, founder of BellaNaija.com

Find your passion as an up and coming 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.

ESSENTIAL READ: eMolecule - Harness Your Entrepreneurial Spirit by Mary Todd

November 15, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Mary Todd, author of the bestselling book, eMolecule: Harnessing Your Entrepreneurial Spirit — **Mary Todd**, author of the bestselling book, eMolecule: Harnessing Your Entrepreneurial Spirit

In her new book eMolecule - Harness Your Entrepreneurial Spirit, Author Mary Todd believes that everyone has an entrepreneurial spirit (what she calls an “eMolecule”) and through self-exploration to find your passion, you can harness that passion through business to create a more fulfilling life. As a result, you can fulfil your purpose and live your dream. However, the decision to look inside yourself to find your eMolecule is often riddled with fear and self-doubt. The goal of this book is that you will be able to relate to aspects of Mary's story and see that although your paths aren’t identical, every entrepreneur deals with the same issues on their journeys.

PODCAST: LoA speaks to Babette Van der Walt who has turned her passion for artisanal bread into a business

November 14, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Babette Van der Walt, founder of Babette's Bread (South Africa)

LoA had the great fortune to stumble across a great new artisanal bread baker this week in the trendy neighbourhood of Maboneng, Johannesburg. Babette Van der Walt, the founder of Babette's Bread is using traditional French bread baking techniques to produce some of the most wonderful tasting and looking baguettes you will find outside of Paris.

Bomanga Ngoi Longango - The startup story of an entrepreneur from the Democratic Republic of Congo capturing the essence of African cooking in a jar

November 13, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Bomanga Ngoi Longango, founder Evelea Foods (Democratic Republic of Congo) — **Bomanga Ngoi Longango**, founder Evelea Foods (Democratic Republic of Congo)

There is nothing more evocative of a country than its cuisine, and one woman entrepreneur from the Democratic Republic of Congo is taking the essence of her country and bottling it in jars for a European audience. Bomanga Ngoi Longango and her company Evelea, are capturing the flavours of African vegetables such as cassava leaves, amaranth leaves, and other traditional vegetables in ready to eat form, preserved in jars.

Entrepreneur Advice from Sarah Lambie: Focus on innovation

November 13, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Sarah Lambie, Work for Life — **Sarah Lambie**, Work for Life

Focus on innovation....

"... not necessarily in terms of technology but in terms of how you can make your company, service or product stand out above the rest. It doesn’t have to be the best, the least expensive, or have the greatest packaging to be the preferred brand. It simply needs to be unique in a way that brings more value than the competitors to your target market."

- Sarah Lambie is a freelance writer and communications consultant to numerous NGOs in Africa, including Work For Life, an NGO focused on providing essential entrepreneurial training and support to African entrepreneurs, many of whom are women. Based in Uganda, Sarah has developed a deep understanding of the challenges faced by women as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.

Quote of the Day from Julian Omalla

November 13, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Julian Omalla, founder of Delight Uganda Limited — **Julian Omalla**, founder of Delight Uganda Limited

"My only means of transport was my wheelbarrow. The local market responded positively to my juice products and I could see my dream coming true."

- 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.

A new venture launches in Ethiopia aimed at empowering young African girls to celebrate their diverse beauty and identity

November 12, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Africa’s young girls need to develop a proud and strong sense of identity through their formative early years, giving them the confidence they need to become independent women in their later lives. Two women entrepreneurs, born and raised in Africa, are giving these girls a wonderful new way of celebrating their African identity through their It’s Me African Paper Dolls.

PODCAST: Agata Karolina, perfumier and founder of House of Gozdawa, talks scents

November 12, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Agata Karolina, founder of House of Gozdawa (South Africa) — **Agata Karolina**, founder of House of Gozdawa (South Africa)

LoA met with talented South African perfumier, Agata Karolina, to talk about what it takes to harness Africa's most evocative natural ingredients and create a truly exquisite and unique range of pure fragrances that each tell a story.

AWARD WINNER: Top South African entrepreneur Margaret Hirsch recognised with prestigious business award this month

November 12, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Margaret Hirsch, co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of the Hirsch Group (centre), Annelize Wepener (left) and Cmdr. Tsietsi Mokhele (right) — **Margaret Hirsch**, co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of the Hirsch Group (centre), Annelize Wepener (left) and Cmdr. Tsietsi Mokhele (right)

One of our truly inspirational Lionesses of Africa, Margaret Hirsch, the co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of the Hirsch Group and a champion for womens empowerment, has received the award for the most Influential Woman In Wholesale and Retail for the African Continent. She was also given a Lifetime Achievement Award in her category in the Titans Most Influential Women in Business and Government awards ceremony that took place at the Gallagher Estates Convention Centre in Gauteng on 10 November. This is the 14th top business award won by Margaret over the last four years.

Lynette Hundermark: Strategies to Achieve Success

November 12, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Lynette Hundermark, Managing Director and co-Founder of Useful and Beautiful with fellow keynote speaker Vusi Thembekwayo (far left) — **Lynette Hundermark**, Managing Director and co-Founder of Useful and Beautiful with fellow keynote speaker Vusi Thembekwayo (far left)

On 7 October, one of South Africa’s leading mobile solutions entrepreneurs, Lynette Hundermark, Managing Director and co-Founder of Useful and Beautiful, took to the speaker platform to address delegates at the Achieve Success Summit at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre in Swaziland. The event positions itself as the Region's number one 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.

Where are the Cub Lionesses of Africa?

November 11, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Tausi Suedi, Co-Founder & Country Team Leader, Childbirth Survival International — **Tausi Suedi**, Co-Founder & Country Team Leader, Childbirth Survival International

As the times are changing and more women are becoming fearless lionesses in the world, we need to make sure the cubs are following right behind. Today, we have female Presidents, Vice-Presidents, CEOs, Entrepreneurs, and more; women have taken their space to advance gender equality and be part of the many processes where decisions are made for women. I was born on July 26th, a natural lioness, and joining the Lionesses of Africa family is a great way to keep the roar loud and significant. As I traverse different parts of the world, I always ask myself where are the cubs?

Why saying no gives you the freedom you want

November 11, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Do you flinch every time you hear the word no? Living in a society where we’ve been raised that saying no means being rude certainly does make it difficult to give your opinion and set valuable boundaries. The word “Yes” has been engrained in us from a young age, and from that perspective it seems counter-intuitive that by saying no you give yourself the opportunity to empower yourself and harness a positive change in your life.

Calling all women startups in Mozambique - signup for Startup Weekend Maputo

November 11, 2015 Melanie Hawken

If you are a woman startup based in Mozambique, then the Startup Weekend Maputo, sponsored by Standard Bank and powered by Google for Entrepreneurs, is the place to be this weekend from 13 to 15 November, at the Centro Cultural Americano Martin Luther King, Av. Mao Tse Tung 542, Maputo, Mozambique.

Korkor Kugblenu - The startup story of a Ghanaian entrepreneur who is creating natural beauty solutions for sub-Saharan African women

November 11, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Korkor Kugblenu, founder of The Body Butter Company (Ghana) — **Korkor Kugblenu**, founder of The Body Butter Company (Ghana)

Seeing a gap in the market for products that celebrate naturally beautiful African women’s skin and hair, Ghanaian entrepreneur Korkor Kugblenu created her business venture, The Body Butter Company, that manufactures and retails indigenous 100% natural beauty solutions.

1st Young Lioness Lean In event inspires a new generation of women entrepreneurs

November 8, 2015 Melanie Hawken

On Saturday 7th November, Lionesses of Africa held its first Young Lioness Lean In event, aimed at inspiring a new generation of young women entrepreneurs of the future in Africa. This highly motivational event was coordinated with the kind support of Standard Bank and was hosted at the inspirational Standard Bank Incubator in Rosebank, Johannesburg in South Africa.