Liz Atukunda and Bunda Anne Katende - The startup story of two young women entrepreneurs from Uganda who are creating authentic one-of-a-kind handbags

January 15, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Liz Atukunda & Bunda Anne Katende, founders of BIIKA (Uganda) — **Liz Atukunda & Bunda Anne Katende**, founders of BIIKA (Uganda)

Capturing the spirit of Africa is central to the vision of the women entrepreneurs behind the BIIKA brand, which celebrates Africa Rising by harnessing local creative talent and materials to create its uniquely Ugandan range of accessories.

Quote of the Day by Anna Savage

January 14, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Anna Savage, founder of I ♥ Market, Durban, South Africa — **Anna Savage**, founder of I ♥ Market, Durban, South Africa

"Mistakes are a brilliant learning curve."

- Anna Savage is the owner and founder of the popular I ♥ Market in Durban, South Africa, providing a platform once a month for local foodies and designers to showcase their products. Anna has turned her small artisan market into a hugely successful business that provides a wonderful showcase for Durban's innovative décor and design, delicious food and live entertainment offered to all, once a month.

Creativity can jumpstart inspiration for your business

January 13, 2016 Melanie Hawken

How painting Mandalas can give business perspective. If you’re an arts and crafts kind of person, you’ll know how therapeutic Mandala painting is. And if you’re a recreational hobbyist, you should get stuck into adult colouring in. That’s right, a colouring book just for you!

Entrepreneur Advice from Pamela Muyeshi: You've got to believe in yourself

January 13, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Pamela Muyeshi, founder of Amaica restaurant, Kenya — **Pamela Muyeshi**, founder of Amaica restaurant, Kenya

You've got to believe in yourself....

“There are less female business owners because, as women, we don’t believe enough in ourselves. If you are not strong-willed, you will not survive in business. A lot of women will start a business but will give up if they don’t have that dedication and strong will,”

- Pamela Muyeshi is the founder of Amaica restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya serving traditional and authentic Kenyan food. Pamela prides herself on providing customers with a real cultural experience woven around authentic African food, the renowned warm African hospitality and a traditional African ambience to complete the picture. Amaica currently has two restaurants in Nairobi.

Meet 38 Women Social Entrepreneurs who made a major impact in Africa in 2015

January 11, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Social entrepreneurs are making a tangible difference to improving the lives and economic prospects of Africa’s most needy people and communities. To celebrate the inspirational work of Africa’s leading women social entrepreneurs, during the month of January we will be sharing the remarkable stories of some of those making a real impact and looking back at those women social entrepreneurs whose contribution made such a difference in 2015.

Entrepreneur Advice from Ruth Kwalanda: Develop skills as you go along

January 11, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Ruth Kwalanda, owner of CIAR Management Institute — **Ruth Kwalanda**, owner of CIAR Management Institute

Don’t be afraid to develop skills as you go along....

"My advice to women entrepreneurs would be: Don’t be afraid to develop skills as you go along. I surround myself with people who are experts in their field to compensate for areas in which I am less experienced. I also know that whatever I don’t know, I can learn as I go along,"

- Ruth Kwalanda is the owner of CIAR Management Institute, a corporate training business and provider of Kenya’s first E-learning platform. Ruth has been a leading provider of human capital development solutions to professionals and business communities in Africa for more than 5 years, facilitating business knowledge and skills transfer through cutting edge conferences, training programmes and e-learning.

Our top 10 favourite entrepreneurial reads that inspired us in 2015

January 10, 2016 Melanie Hawken

To kick-start 2016, we bring you a round-up of our top 10 favourite books for women entrepreneurs of last year - all authored by women entrepreneurs. We hope they inspired you as much as they did us.

Quote of the Day by Ally Angula

January 8, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Ally Angula, co-founder of Leap Holdings — **Ally Angula**, co-founder of Leap Holdings

“Everything comes from the effort that you put in, act even in a small way towards realising your dreams daily.”

- Ally Angula is a qualified charted accountant and co-founder of Leap Holdings, a group of companies involved in the growing of fresh produce, garment manufacturing and retail in Namibia. She is also the founder of My Republik Brand, Namibia’s first locally designed, manufactured and retailed clothing brand with a flagship store situated in the Grove Mall in Windhoek's Kleine Kuppe suburb. She currently serves as non-executive director for Old Mutual Life Assurance (Namibia) and Rio Tinto's Rossing Uranium mine in Namibia. Ally was chosen as a Desmond Tutu Fellowship programme Associate in April 2013 and was one of two Namibian entrepreneurs selected to attend the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit hosted by US President Barack Obama in Kenya.

Sharon Sinclair - The startup story of a South African consultancy bringing a more holistic approach to business

January 7, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Sharon Sinclair, founder of Chandramala (South Africa) — **Sharon Sinclair**, founder of Chandramala (South Africa)

Mindful business consulting may not be something familiar to many, but Sharon Sinclair looks to change all that with her company, Chandramala Pty Ltd in South Africa. She is introducing a programme of Organisational Alignment, an energetic change management process that encourages people to find their purpose and achieve a more fulfilled work and personal life.

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.