Teresa Nanjala Lubano - The startup story of a Kenyan entrepreneur with a love of local products and a passion for supporting those who make them

January 7, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Teresa Nanjala Lubano, founder of The Nanjala Company (Kenya) — **Teresa Nanjala Lubano**, founder of The Nanjala Company (Kenya)

A common challenge for many artisans in Africa is getting access to markets and gaining the right kind of exposure for their work. The Nanjala Company in Kenya is one enterprise looking to provide a solution, thanks to the interest and commitment of its founder, Teresa Nanjala Lubano.

Entrepreneur Advice from Carrol Boyes: Get word-of-mouth advertising working for your business

December 30, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Get word-of-mouth advertising working for your business....

“People went to the shop to see what was hot and because my products were displayed there, they were immediately given the stamp of approval. It really all came about by word of mouth. To this day, I believe that is the strongest marketing tool available.”

- Carrol Boyes is an iconic South African designer who has built a global brand. She founded Carrol Boyes (Pty) Ltd in 1991 combining her artistic flair and talent in sculpture with her jewellery experience to create an extensive range of distinctive homeware, giftware, flatware and table top products. Today, her company designs and manufactures a meticulously crafted product range of well over 1000 items and sells over a million items every year. Products are always imbued with Carrol's trademark artistic flair and finesse. The brand is available through her 35 branded shops in South Africa and in over 30 other countries around the world.

Quote of the Day by Cherae Robinson

December 28, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Cherae Robinson, founder & CEO of Rare Customs — **Cherae Robinson**, founder & CEO of Rare Customs

"I think too often we allow ourselves to fall into what society accepts as possible and we don’t try to tackle the big things, we do what we already know we can and we don’t stretch ourselves enough."

- Cherae Robinson is founder & CEO of Rare Customs a company that creates products, brands, and strategies that are shaping the future of travel to Africa. They operate at the intersection of tourism and development focusing on modernizing the tourism value chain, engaging travelers in innovative ways, and ensuring that the industry grows sustainably. Cherae is a real champion of Africa's growth story through private sector engagement in the tourism sector.

Entrepreneur Advice from Ethel Cofie - Stop second guessing and just jump

December 23, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Ethel Cofie, founder of Edel Technologies — **Ethel Cofie**, founder of Edel Technologies

Stop second guessing and just jump....

"Remember the mistakes you make are all part of learning, so instead of overthinking things just do it, and on your way down you will figure it out."

- Ethel Cofie, is a Ghanaian-born entrepreneur and founder of Edel Technologies. This techpreneur is passionate about technology, female leadership and empowering women entrepreneurs. She runs the women in tech group in Ghana and is a founder of the Women in Tech Africa Alliance. In 2014, Ethel was selected to be a President Obama Washington Fellow.

Entrepreneur Advice from Gaby Lobban: Fear is the only thing holding you back

December 21, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Gaby Lobban, founder of Zumbudda (South Africa) — **Gaby Lobban**, founder of Zumbudda (South Africa)

Fear is the only thing holding you back....

"Don't be afraid. Fear is the only thing holding you back. Women are wired to be cautious and thank goodness, but it often holds us back. If you really think you have a good idea or product then go for it, don't let anyone try to distract you from your path. Its easy to say but from my experience in business, very few get it right the first or the second time and failure is part of the process of finding success."

- Gaby Lobban is the founder of Zumbudda in South Africa, a technology company which has launched a website offering REAL-Time eChats with healthcare professionals (Experts) to people looking for advice. Gaby's background is in design and advertising and she has worked in the pharmaceutical, medical and diagnostics industry for 20 years.

Essential Read: Pretty & Profiting - The Game Plan for Female Entrepreneurs to Make a Statement, Make Money, Make an Impact by Nicole K Lundy

December 20, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Nicole K Lundy, author and entrepreneur — **Nicole K Lundy**, author and entrepreneur

"Pretty & Profiting is for female entrepreneurs who wants to step out in a BIG way. We all have access to world-class strategies on the “how-to” of marketing, sales, and management – BUT not a ton of lingo on the other ‘stuff’ we need to implement to be successful as a female entrepreneur." - Nicole K Lundy, author and entrepreneur

Entrepreneur Smarts: Memorandums, Contracts, and then and only then, Champagne!

December 20, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The issue with Law is that any document is really only worth as much as you are willing to throw at defending it in court. So at this stage think David vs Goliath - it’s the detail you put into your agreements that could be the difference between you having a slingshot or not. Often it’s only the detail that stops a larger party from walking into Court….

Entrepreneur Advice from Mary Miner: Everything takes longer than you think

December 18, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Mary Miner, Co-Founder of Atikus Investments in Rwanda — Mary Miner, Co-Founder of Atikus Investments in Rwanda

Everything takes longer than you think....

"Starting a business is challenging but equally rewarding. Keep at it! Everything takes longer than you think it will but the amount you will learn about business and yourself along the way will change your life - at least it has for me."

- Mary Miner is the co-founder of Atikus Investments, a socially focused enterprise dedicated to expanding access to capital for qualified yet underserved individuals around the world. Mary is responsible for designing and managing Atikus’ social impact initiatives, with a specific focus on financial education partnerships and women’s empowerment goals. Mary has spent extensive time on the ground in multiple African markets, including Morocco, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, and Ghana.

Entrepreneur Advice from Patience Maame Mensah: You don't need huge capital to start

December 17, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Patience Maame Mensah, founder of Indulgence

You don't need huge capital to start....

"You don't need huge capital to start something - just go out there, identify the challenge, and look for ways to solve it. Tell yourself you can do it, and tell God you want to help solve a need, and then just do it with passion. It will be successful someday."

- Patience Maame Mensah, founder of Indulgence in Ghana, an all inclusive home management and maintenance agency that supports home care delivery such as nanny services and aged care, plus personal grooming and relaxation therapies, all provided in the comfort of your home. Patience is an MBA Alumni of the Universita' Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore - ALTIS Graduate School of Business and Society in Milan (Italy).

48 Wonderful holiday season gift ideas, handcrafted and ‘Woman-Made in Africa’

December 15, 2015 Melanie Hawken

To celebrate this holiday season in true entrepreneurial style, we have compiled a list of some of our favourite gift ideas, all beautifully and proudly Woman-Made in Africa, and many of them featured by Lionesses of Africa over the past year. From inspirational award-winning accessories; to some of the world's finest decor items; to jewellery crafted by talented women artisans; to beauty products and perfumes that are inspired by the natural beauty of our continent; and finally to food and drink gifting ideas that would grace any table. We love them all, and the great news is that they are all available to buy online.

Shingai Nyagweta - The startup story of a South African entrepreneur passionate about creating vibrant children’s clothing celebrating local textiles

December 15, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Shingai Nyagweta, founder of KuNa Kids — **Shingai Nyagweta**, founder of KuNa Kids

Finding great children’s clothing that appeals to both the young ones and the parents, and which at the same time celebrates the vibrancy of African textiles, has now been made so much easier. South African entrepreneur and designer, Shingai Nyagweta, founder of KuNa Kids, has built a niche children’s clothing company that embraces the uniquely local shweshwe fabrics, but incorporated into funky and practical designs.

Entrepreneur Advice from Shanley Knox: Engage clients in your building process

December 15, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Shanley Knox, co-founder of Olivia Knox Collective — **Shanley Knox**, co-founder of Olivia Knox Collective

Tell your story and engage clients in your building process....

"At first, we were hesitant to pitch to potential clients until we had a finished supply chain. But, we quickly learned that our clients had already tried (and failed) to source from the area of the world we were working in, and were eager to share their past mistakes so we could build-off of them as we put our supply chain together. Our strategy shifted toward being a kind of open collaboration with them, as we were honest about our lack of experience, and looked to them to give us the advice and help necessary to make us their best supplier. Many responses we received became the building blocks of our operations."

- Shanley Knox is co-founder of Olivia Knox Collective, a manufacturing collective that is focused on promoting the use of Ankole cow horn in the creation of beautiful products for the luxury markets in Europe and US. They work with design partners in three distinct business segments - Eyewear, Accessories and Home Goods. Shanley began her career as a journalist, focused on human interest stories and went on to work in nonprofit development in rural villages and slums throughout East Africa for five years. Olivia Knox is a combination of all facets of her career, combining storytelling with positive business with the power to transform lives throughout Uganda.

Oluwatosin Lawson - The startup story of a Nigerian entrepreneur with a passion for contemporary African-inspired lifestyle products

December 14, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Oluwatosin Lawson, founder of African Things (Nigeria) — **Oluwatosin Lawson**, founder of African Things (Nigeria)

Building a pan-African and global brand relies on appreciating the need for high quality manufacturing combined with a unique selling point, and Nigerian entrepreneur, Oluwatosin Lawson, is building her African ThingsLifestyle and Fashion brand by addressing both factors. Her sense of pride for African design shines through all her products, whilst at the same time, recognising the power of mass production to tap into new markets.

100 LIONESSES: Empowering A Billion Women by 2020 (EBW2020) recognises Zimbabwe’s Divine Ndhlukula

December 13, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Divine Ndhlukula, Founder and Managing Director of SECURICO — Divine Ndhlukula, Founder and Managing Director of SECURICO

Zimbabwe’s Divine Ndhlukula, Founder and Managing Director of DDNS Security Operations, trading as Securico, has been selected as one of the most influential female leaders of 2015 in the world for her concerted efforts in empowering women in Zimbabwe and the region.

Entrepreneur Smarts: Systems are your Building Blocks

December 13, 2015 Melanie Hawken

I’m sitting with a startup team helping them prepare for a critical sales presentation. Errol is not present, so we don’t have his correspondence with the client. And no one can find the phone number of the consultant coordinating the evaluation for the client. It’s a mess!

Essential Read: Leadership Girl - Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Achieve Extraordinary Results by Capturing Massive Sales by Haley Lynn Gray

December 13, 2015 Melanie Hawken

In her book, Leadership Girl - Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Achieve Extraordinary Results by Capturing Massive Sales, author Haley Lynn Gray helps give small business owners the information that they need to grow their businesses. She offers techniques including marketing and sales both online and offline, and focuses on teaching the specific skills that you need to grow your business.

Olivia Byanyima and Shanley Knox - The startup story of two women creating a unique manufacturing business celebrating Uganda’s unique Ankole cow horn

December 12, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Olivia Byanyima and Shanley Knox, founders of Olivia Knox (Uganda) — **Olivia Byanyima and Shanley Knox**, founders of Olivia Knox (Uganda)

The world’s discerning consumers have become so much more conscious about the provenance and sustainability of the products they buy, particularly in the luxury market. By creating new luxury markets for products crafted from East Africa’s unique Ankole horn, Olivia Byanyima and Shanley Knox through their company, Olivia Knox, are improving the economic value of this culturally significant breed, providing incentive for Ugandan ranchers to continue their ancient practice of raising the Ankole.

Gaby Lobban - The startup story of a South African techpreneur providing an innovative way of accessing professional healthcare advice online

December 11, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The chances are that in our increasingly busy lives, we will need to get health advice and information at short notice and potentially outside of usual medical practitioner hours or without having to wait for clinic appointments, meaning that an alternative is required. South African techpreneur, Gaby Lobban, founder of Zumbudda, knows this scenario only too well as a busy working mother of three children. Her website offering real-time e-chats with expert healthcare professionals is providing a great and innovative solution.

VIDEO: Kofo Akinkugbe shares her entrepreneurial journey to founding SecureID in Nigeria

December 10, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Kofo Akinkugbe, founder of Secure ID Limited share her entrepreneurial journey at the 7th Annual Career Conference themed ''Continuous Improvement'' held in Lagos on 17 March 2015. She talks about the birth of her company SecureID Nigeria Ltd.

Mary Miner and Kate Woska - The startup story of two women entrepreneurs with a passion for expanding access to capital for underserved women in Rwanda

December 10, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Kate Woska and Mary Miner, co-founders of Atikus Investments Incorporated (Rwanda) — **Kate Woska and Mary Miner**, co-founders of Atikus Investments Incorporated (Rwanda)

Co-founders Mary Miner and Kate Woska are first time entrepreneurs and the inspiration behind Atikus Investments Incorporated. They chose Rwanda as the perfect place to start their business because the country is serious about financial inclusion and developing at a rapid pace. Atikus develops meso-level interventions committed to democratizing opportunity and improving financial inclusion for un(der)served demographics, among which women, youth, and rural/agricultural workers are core groups.