Gabriella von Ille - The startup story of a South African-based boutique consultancy with a passion for Africa and its natural resources

January 23, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Gabriella von Ille, founder of Lifa Communications (South Africa) — **Gabriella von Ille**, founder of Lifa Communications (South Africa)

Lifa Communications is a specialist consulting firm servicing the traditionally male dominated industry sectors such as mining, agriculture, oil, gas, energy and technology, and is the brainchild of founder Gabriella von Ille. The company prides itself on its global experience and expertise, combined with unique African industry insight - a powerful combination.

Entrepreneur Advice from Innocentia Maine - Never let fear get in your way

January 22, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Innocentia Maine, founder of MIS Poultry Farm (South Africa) — **Innocentia Maine**, founder of MIS Poultry Farm (South Africa)

Never let fear get in your way....

"Never let fear get in your way, its just there to hold you back. Women are capable of doing anything they set their minds on, so they must never be afraid of challenges. We just need to think positive, always dream big, and leave no room for negativity."

- Innocentia Maine is the founder of MIS Poultry Farm in South Africa. She is taking her love of farming and building a poultry business that she sees as the first step in creating a multi-faceted successful agribusiness of the future, and one that will hopefully inspire other aspirant women agripreneurs to follow in her footsteps.

Quote of the Day by Ruth Kwalanda

January 21, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Ruth Kwalanda, founder of CIAR Management Institute (Kenya) — **Ruth Kwalanda**, founder of CIAR Management Institute (Kenya)

“Whatever it is you do, it’s got to be something you’re passionate about. There comes a time when all you have is the passion and nothing else and you need to be able to count on your passion to see you through the tough times.”

- Ruth Kwalanda is the founder 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.

Entrepreneur Smarts: Don't be Shoemakers' Children!

January 19, 2016 Melanie Hawken

“I must have made a mistake”, I thought, “this company has been written up in the Wall Street Journal as one of the most exciting startups in audio technology. This cannot be their website”. But it was their site. A site that looked like one created in the 1990’s. Doing damage to their image every day.

Making News: A.T.L Events and Promotions launches new South African fashion showcase event for young designers working in lingerie, swimwear and sleepwear

January 19, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Thandiwe Makhanya, founder of A.T.L Events and Promotions (South Africa) — **Thandiwe Makhanya**, founder of A.T.L Events and Promotions (South Africa)

The challenge for any young woman fashion designer just starting out is finding effective ways of getting their brands and their creations out into the marketplace and connecting with customers. South African entrepreneur, Thandiwe Makhanya, and her company A.T.L Events and Promotions, which specialises in creating, managing and executing brand awareness events, campaigns as well as promotions, has found a solution, and is launching a new event platform this February.

Kynaro Kinnear - The startup story of a PR and Event Management entrepreneur inspired by her mother’s original business dream and on a mission for success

January 19, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Kynaro Kinnear, founder of K2 PR and Events (South Africa) — **Kynaro Kinnear**, founder of K2 PR and Events (South Africa)

There is a considerable market that exists for specialist event management and PR companies in Africa, and one young startup in South Africa, K2 PR and Events, is looking to make its mark too. Founder Kynaro Kinnear is following in her mother’s footsteps to take her original business dream and turn it into a reality.

Quote of the Day by Essma Ben Hamida

January 19, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Essma Ben Hamida, co-founder of Enda Inter-Arabe, Tunisia — **Essma Ben Hamida**, co-founder of Enda Inter-Arabe, Tunisia

“One of the objectives for me with microfinance is to change the mindset from charity to counting on your own resources – for men and women alike. This involves opening up women’s minds to micro-business, and men’s minds to accepting that their wives and daughters can run a business and contribute to the family and the country’s economy.”

- Essma Ben Hamida is a Tunisian born development activist, co-founder and Executive Director of Enda Inter-Arabe in Tunisia, and President of the Sanabel Microfinance network of Arab countries. Essma launched Enda in 1995 as the first microcredit institution in Tunisia. Today, Enda has 235,000 active clients (70% women), a $110 million portfolio, 78 branches, and 1,100 staff. Essma was selected Social Entrepreneur of the year for the MENA region in 2010 by the prestigious Schwab Foundation.

Innocentia Maine - The startup story of a young South African entrepreneur turning a love of farming into a successful business enterprise

January 18, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Africa needs more women entrepreneurs helping to address the continent’s food security challenges, and one such entrepreneur is Innocentia Maine, the founder of MIS Poultry Farm in South Africa. She is taking her love of farming and building a poultry business that she sees as the first step in creating a multi-faceted successful agribusiness of the future, and one that will hopefully inspire other aspirant women agripreneurs to follow in her footsteps.

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.