Shereen Makhanye - The startup story of a South African entrepreneur harnessing Africa’s organic and exotic indigenous crops to create an exciting natural hair-care brand

February 27, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Shereen Makhanye, founder of Nubian Nature (South Africa)

Nubian Nature (Pty) Ltd is the entrepreneurial creation of founder Shereen Makhanye, whose journey to find products that are not harmful to use on African hair led her to harness the power of the continent’s natural ingredients to find a solution. Her company and its products are the showcase for her genuine passion for Africa, science, hair and all things natural and it's been her life dream to share the experience and richness of Africa with Africans and the rest of world.

PODCAST: Melanie Hawken talks Millennial Women Entrepreneurs on Lucky Radio

February 26, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Melanie Hawken, founder and CEO of Lionesses of Africa, with host Shona MacDonald

Lionesses of Africa shared some interesting insights on the subject of the rise of Millennial women entrepreneurs in Africa, and their innovative approaches to harnessing the power of digital to launch new businesses.

Event Watch! Women in Energy Effeminacy Women’s Entrepreneurship Breakfast - 27th February

February 26, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Effeminacy Women’s Entrepreneurship Breakfast is a monthly event hosted in Johannesburg. This breakfast aims to identify issues that retard women’s entrepreneurship journey. By hosting monthly panel discussions and inviting institutions that deal with the specific issues, we are able to alleviate these issues.

Evashnee Naidu - The startup story of a South African entrepreneur on a mission to help SMMEs to realise increased profitability and improved lead generation

February 26, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Evashnee Naidu, founder of EnablED (South Africa) — **Evashnee Naidu**, founder of EnablED (South Africa)

In an increasingly competitive market environment, making companies stand out in the marketplace and helping them to maximise the enterprise development opportunities that exist is key. EnablED, the brainchild of South African entrepreneur, Evashnee Naidu, is one such company that is playing a key role in managing enterprise and supplier development solutions for SMMEs.

Natacha Nduwimana - The startup story of an entrepreneur taking world-class event production to new heights in Rwanda and Burundi

February 24, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Natacha Nduwimana, founder of Jelim Premier Events — **Natacha Nduwimana**, founder of Jelim Premier Events

In the highly competitive world of event production, understanding the experiential brand and marketing needs of customers is key, and if there is one company that understands this fact it is Jelim Premier Events. Founder Natacha Nduwimana is an entrepreneur with a keen eye for detail and a comprehensive understanding of the power of brand positioning through event activation, delivering innovative and high quality event experiences in the countries she works in.

Adhiambo Mula-Lauwers - The startup story of a South African footwear brand turning the traditional concept of shoe design on its head

February 22, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Adhiambo Mula-Lauwers, founder of GALAGO (South Africa) — **Adhiambo Mula-Lauwers**, founder of GALAGO (South Africa)

GALAGO is a footwear brand with a difference. It not only celebrates an African aesthetic, embracing the traditional techniques and craftsmanship renowned on the continent, but also brings in a uniquely customised aspect for the wearer. Fashion entrepreneur and founder, Adhiambo Mula-Lauwers, is tapping into a new design aesthetic that is highly customer centric and very individual.

The Global Women’s Summit heads to Rwanda to celebrate International Women’s Day

February 22, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Each year, over 1000 Global Women’s Summits are being presented by The Women Information Network (WIN) in major cities worldwide. The mission is to strengthen women and families through Education, Empowerment, and Entrepreneurship in order to eradicate illiteracy, poverty and hunger in every nation. This year’s theme is Towards Vision 2020, Women Leading Innovative Transformation.

Quote of the Day from Dr. Victoria Kisyombe

February 22, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Victoria Kisyombe, founder of SELFINA (Tanzania) — **Dr. Victoria Kisyombe**, founder of SELFINA (Tanzania)

"I have seen the enormous impact a small investment can make in the life of a woman. And it doesn’t stop there — from one modest lease, a woman can create dozens of jobs, touching the lives of dozens more."

- Victoria Kisyombe founded SELFINA in 2002 and pioneered micro-credit in Tanzania through micro-leasing with a focus on widows and young girls. Victoria helped women overcome many of the traditional stumbling blocks that made it difficult for them to own land and assets. SELFINA has gone on to economically empower more than 25,000 women with a total credit worth 25 billion Tanzanian Shillings (approximately $16 million US dollars). Over 200,000 lives have been impacted through the benefits accrued.

Why having the right mind-set is key to running a successful business

February 21, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Success at times can seem quite elusive. You’re running your own business, running a household, and you’re a wife, partner, parent to boot. So how do others do it? They make it look so easy. Does it have to do with them being better at time management? Or, is it that they have a different mind-set to you?

Essential Read: Impact with Wings: Stories to inspire and mobilize women angel investors and entrepreneurs

February 21, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Karen Bairley Kruger, Jagruti Bhikha, CE Lim, Wingee Sin, Hana Yang and Suzanne Andrews — Karen Bairley Kruger, Jagruti Bhikha, CE Lim, Wingee Sin, Hana Yang and Suzanne Andrews

Look out for the launch shortly on Amazon of the wonderfully titled “Impact with Wings - Stories to inspire and mobilize women angel investors and entrepreneurs - it’s an anthology of personal stories and research written by six female impact investors. This book's purpose is to enlighten and inspire women to step into angel investing and/or entrepreneurship, as it is through investing in each other that we can begin to tip gender imbalances and bring more women forward.

Namibian entrepreneur Tammy Nott launches crowdfunding campaign to bring greater economic opportunity to the Himba women

February 21, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Tamarind Nott, founder of Mbiri Natural Skincare and Kaveuruamo Mupurua, one of the community project harvesters. (Namibia) — **Tamarind Nott**, founder of Mbiri Natural Skincare and Kaveuruamo Mupurua, one of the community project harvesters. (Namibia)

Tamarind Nott is an inspirational young Namibian entrepreneur on a mission. She launched her company Mbiri Natural Skincare in April 2015, but this is no ordinary skincare company and brand - it has an incredible back-story, inspired by the Himba women of Kaokoland in her country. To write the next chapter of the company’s history, and to help to realise its ambitious goals, Tamarind is launching a global crowdfunding campaign to fund the expansion of the project and to make an even greater impact on the lives of these incredible women.

What a success! Lionesses Lean In to share their entrepreneurial journeys to success in Johannesburg

February 20, 2016 Melanie Hawken

The first of this year’s inspirational monthly Lioness Lean In Breakfast events has just taken place in Johannesburg, South Africa, powered by Standard Bank and hosted at their inspirational SB Incubator in Rosebank. The event was a huge hit with a capacity audience of 65 women entrepreneurs who came from across the country to listen to successful women business brand builders share their stories, to inspire one another, and to network and connect for business success.

Adenike Akinsemolu - The startup story of a social entrepreneur in Nigeria building a new generation of environmentally conscious student leaders

February 20, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Adenike Akinsemolu, founder of The Green Campus Initiative (Nigeria) — **Adenike Akinsemolu**, founder of The Green Campus Initiative (Nigeria)

Like many parts of Africa, Nigeria has a number of environmental challenges that need to be addressed by innovative thinking and action. The Green Campus Initiative is entrepreneur Adenike Akinsemolu’s solution to getting young people in the country thinking green and becoming eco-conscious citizens.

Quote of the Day Anthea Ambursley

February 18, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Anthea Ambursley, founder of Anansi (South Africa) — **Anthea Ambursley**, founder of Anansi (South Africa)

"From a very young age I have realised that the only freedom you will have one day is to work for yourself and you can make a huge impact."

- Anthea Ambursley is the founder of Anansi in South Africa. Anthea is a mother, wife and phenomenal award-winning business woman and motivational speaker. She is the proud winner of several business awards.

Quote of the Day by Irene Ochem

February 17, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Irene Ochem, founder of ICO Conferences & Events Limited (Nigeria) — **Irene Ochem**, founder of ICO Conferences & Events Limited (Nigeria)

"These are exciting times for Africa, it is not mere rhetoric of Africa Rising; so much is really happening and so much is changing."

- Irene Ochem is the founder of African Women Innovation and Enterprise Forum (AWIEF) and the Managing Director of ICO Conferences & Events Limited, a full-service professional conference producing, event management and training company that operates across Africa and globally. Irene holds an MBA from the University of London.

Entrepreneur Advice from Margaret Hirsch: You've got to learn to be tough

February 17, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Margaret Hirsch, co-founder of Hirsch's Homestores (South Africa) — Margaret Hirsch, co-founder of Hirsch's Homestores (South Africa)

You need to learn to be tough....

"If you want to get ahead‚ you have to be tough. Sometimes toughness goes against what you have been taught as a little girl‚ but if you aren’t tough‚ people will walk all over you.”

- Margaret Hirsch is one half of a dynamic husband and wife duo that founded Hirsch's Homestores. Back in 1979, as a secretary, together with her husband Allan, then an appliance repair man, they unwittingly became entrepreneurs who went on to build an appliance, electronics and furnishing retail empire. Today, Hirsch's Homestores is the largest independently owned appliance and electronics business in Southern Africa, with seventeen branches and concept stores spread throughout South Africa.

Angela Kamanzi - The startup story of a magazine publisher in Kenya passionate about women’s empowerment

February 16, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Angela Kamanzi, founder of Arkad World Limited & publisher of Mkazi Magazine (Kenya) — **Angela Kamanzi**, founder of Arkad World Limited & publisher of Mkazi Magazine (Kenya)

One woman entrepreneur is bringing her wealth of expertise and experience in the field of publishing to create an online magazine that celebrates enterprising African women and provides a great resource of homegrown solutions to Africa’s unique challenges. Arkad World Limited, the holding company behind Mkazi Magazine, is the brainchild of Kenyan entrepreneur, Angela Kamanzi, and creates information to inspire, motivate and improve the lives of African women entrepreneurs.

VIDEO: Ethel Cofie, one of the top 5 women changing the face of Tech in Africa

February 16, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Watch this fascinating interview with Ethel Cofie, one of the leading women in Africa's tech scene, in which she discusses her personal entrepreneurial journey and how she is also helping to propel more women in tech to be successful.