If there’s one thing you could ask your future self, what would it be? Perhaps you would ask for advice on how to be a better person or seize well-presented opportunities without hesitation. Would you ask your future self what you could have done to be a better leader? The wisdom of hindsight is infinite - and yet you’re still living in the here and now. Begin by visualising how and where you would like to see your future self.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Pam Golding
“I have always believed that women can do anything they set their hearts on”
- Pam Golding is one of Africa's most successful women entrepreneurs and an icon of the real estate industry. She founded Pam Golding Properties in South Africa in 1976 with no start-up capital and just a single sales assistant. The company now has over 300 offices in Africa as well as international offices in the UK, Germany, France and Mauritius. It is one of South Africa’s largest independent property trading companies with 2010 turnover of US$1.7 billion. Pam is now retired from active management, but remains the Life President of the company she founded.
Read moreWunmi Amokeodo - The startup story of a Nigerian fashion entrepreneur celebrating the country’s traditional fabrics in contemporary design
Wunmi Amokeodo, founder of Design for Love (Nigeria)
For many entrepreneurs, their businesses start with a passion or a need to address a key challenge that exists in the marketplace - in the case of talented Nigerian fashion design entrepreneur, Wunmi Amokeodo, founder of Design for Love (DFL), it was both of these factors.
Read moreBhavya Kalsi - The startup story of a Ugandan company and brand influenced by Indian roots
Bhavya Kalsi and Nimisha Kalipurayath, founders of KONA (Uganda)
KONA, the name of a unique new accessories and homeware company in Uganda was inspired by a mixture of cultures, the word literally meaning CORNER in Swahili Luganda and Hindi. So, from a little corner in Africa, two women entrepreneurs, are creating an exciting new brand with a distinctive personality.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Bushera Bashir - It's all about executing your vision
Bushera Bashir, founder of Trebene (South Africa)
Executing your vision is the true test for an entrepreneur....
"Focus on unraveling your passion, develop a compelling vision, and finally, and most importantly, create a thorough execution plan. A true test of an entrepreneur is not just creating the vision but executing it."
- Bushera Bashir is the founder of Trebene an ethical South African fashion label, designing, printing and handweaving luxury Cashmere scarves. Bushera combines the rich heritage of traditional Kashmiri textile weaving with contemporary designs creating truly unique products. At the heart of the business model lie the Kashmiri women weavers; the Trebene label invests up to 20% of its profits into the education of their children.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Sonia Mugabo: Find that one thing that you are really passionate about and go for it
Sonia Mugabo, founder of Sonia Mugabo (SM), Rwanda
Find that one thing that you are really passionate about....
"My advice would be to find that one thing that you are really passionate about and go for it, it won’t be easy and even when you succeed, stay humble and remember to use your talents to serve others. At the end of the day it is not about you, but what you are doing for your people and your community. For me it is about creating jobs, and building a successful Rwandan Brand."
- Sonia Mugabo is the founder of Sonia Mugabo (SM), Rwanda , a fashion brand established in 2013. It was born out of Sonia’s strong interest in design; and the desire to tap into the existing local artisan talent to make high quality men and womenswear. Sonia Mugabo develops 2 collections each year, and all year round makes bespoke items for its clientele. A pioneer of Rwanda’s fashion industry; Sonia is setting the standard for Rwandan fashion in global and local markets.
Read moreApril is Focus on Women Fashionpreneurs Month
Africa’s creative women fashionpreneurs are putting the continent on the global map through their unique designs and approach to entrepreneurship and all this month Lionesses of Africa is celebrating the continent’s leading women in the business of fashion.
Read moreBernadette Umunyana - The startup story of a Rwandan leather fashion accessories company committed to Fair Trade principles and the training of young people
Bernadette Umunyana, founder of Dokmai Rwanda
A passion for handcrafted accessories, combined with a sense of pride for Made in Rwanda products, inspired Dokmai Rwanda founder, Bernadette Umunyana, to create a company and a brand that would celebrate the skills and raw materials of Rwanda. Today, her company is producing a range of high quality leather fashion accessories that are proudly made and designed in Rwanda, and custom tailored to meet the needs of the brand’s discerning customers.
Read moreEssential Read: 'The Accidental Entrepreneur - The Juicy Bits' by Janine Allis
Janine Allis, entrepreneur and author
The Accidental Entrepreneur tells the incredible and inspiring story of Janine Allis' journey from adventurous backpacker to becoming one of the world's foremost global businesswomen. In chronicling the challenges and triumphs of her story, Janine reveals step-by-step the essential tips for budding entrepreneurs wishing to change their life and turn their business dream into a highly-successful reality.
Read moreSonia Mugabo - The startup story of a fashion entrepreneur in Rwanda, building a strong men and womenswear brand that celebrates local artisan craftsmanship
Sonia Mugabo, founder of Sonia Mugabo (SM), Rwanda
Recognising the high potential of the Rwandan fashion scene, and having a passion for mainstream and bespoke clothing design, was the inspiration for Sonia Mugabo to make the move and establish a new and exciting fashion company in the country. Her label, Sonia Mugabo (SM) is winning legions of new fashion conscious fans along the way.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Dr. Jennifer Riria
Dr. Jennifer Riria, CEO Kenya Women Holding
“You need to believe that tripping is not falling. You trip, you get up and you move on. Sometimes you break a toe, you wrap it and you move on.”
- Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding and one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs who has always been on a mission to transform the lives of women and their families in her native Kenya. She is distinguished as a microfinance banker and practitioner, researcher and gender specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally. In 2013 she was awarded the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the year, East Africa 2013, and subsequently, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014, at which point she was admitted to EY’s Global Hall of Fame.
Read moreNkem Okocha - The startup story of a Nigerian social entrepreneur empowering poor rural and urban women with free vocational skills and mobile loans
Nkem Okocha, founder of Mamamoni Limited (Nigeria)
Empowering women who come from low-income rural and urban backgrounds, but who have the potential to become independent micro-entrepreneurs, is the mission of Mamamoni Limited, a social enterprise founded by Nkem Okocha. She is providing a powerful combination of free vocational skills and mobile loans to help them on their way to becoming financially independent.
Read moreVideo: Tabitha Karanja - If women are empowered they will go places and can play an important role in growing the economy of their country
Tabitha Karanja, founder and CEO of Keroche Breweries in Kenya, talks about the importance of empowering women and allowing them to play a key role in growing the economy in their country.
Read moreLionesses of Africa participates in Twitter Chat on 'Empowering Women Social Entrepreneurs in the World'
Lionesses of Africa Founder and CEO, Melanie Hawken, took part in the Twitter Chat on 17 March coordinated by Ogunte, together with other guest contributors from around the world, to talk about how unleashing the power of women’s social entrepreneurship can help to make our economies and societies stronger.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Kevine Kagirimpundu and Ysolde Shimwe
Kevine Kagirimpundu and Ysolde Shimwe, co-founders of Uzuri K&Y (Rwanda)
"Don't have fear - no matter who you are and where you are from, your dreams are real and you should make it your business to achieve them."
- Kevine Kagirimpundu and Ysolde Shimwe are co-founders of Uzuri K&Y in Rwanda, a company creating beautiful handcrafted shoes with a unique Rwandan aesthetic. These two former college classmates shared a passion for fashion and a desire to start a business venture that would create much needed jobs for their community. Despite little means, they decided to kickstart their business whilst still studying, launching Uzuri K&Y back in 2013.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Tabitha Karanja
“We have fought countless battles and we seemed to have sunk at times, but true to the word we believed we could make it, we rose above the barricades and the story is now told of how we made it and won the war.”
- Tabitha Karanja is founder and CEO of Keroche Breweries. She is one of Kenya's leading entrepreneurs, a remarkable trailblazer and an example of a woman made good against all the odds. Tabitha chose to venture where none before her had dared. She took on an 87-year-old business monopoly and entered an industry with a deeply entrenched male gender stereotype. Tabitha broke the mould to become Kenya’s first home-grown beer and alcoholic drink manufacturer. Today, her company's state-of-the-art factory produces 10,000 bottles of gin and ready-to-drink vodka, as well as 15,000 bottles of beer per hour.
Read moreQuote of the Day from Lindiwe Zulu
Lindiwe Zulu, Small Business Development Minister, South Africa
"Small and Medium enterprises have got an important role to play in the economic transformation of our economy and in particular for women because once women have economic independence then they are able to take the right decisions even more for their families and for society in general,”
- Lindiwe Zulu is the Small Business Development Minister in South Africa. She is Member of the ANC Women's League NEC. Zulu returned from exile in 1992 having lived in Tanzania, Uganda and Angola. She did military training in Angola while with the Pan Africanist Women's Organisation. She holds a Master of Arts degree.
Read morePODCAST: Shingai Nyagweta, founder of KuNa Kids, talks about her children’s clothing company in South Africa celebrating local textiles
Shingai Nyagweta, founder of KuNa Kids
Listen to LoA’s interview with Shingai Nyagweta, founder of KuNa Kids, recorded at the Lioness Lean In Breakfast event in Johannesburg on 17 March where she was sharing her startup story with the audience.
Read moreEssential Read: 'Count Me In!: Connection, Collaboration and Community in Business Networking & Female Entrepreneurship' by Shari Reinhart
Count Me In! is a great read for the wannabe, emerging, steady-on-her-feet female entrepreneur doing something to turn her dreams into reality. It is filled with practical advice and wisdom, with exercises to help readers to develop their networking skills, at the same time as developing their personal and social brands, their websites and their infomercials.
Read moreUche Pedro wins the award for ‘Best Blogger – Africa’ at the 2016 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards
Bella Naija founder, Uche Pedro won the award for ‘Best Blogger – Africa’ at the 2016 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday, 12 March at The Forum in Inglewood, California. This talented Nigerian blogger and online media entrepreneur won the award ahead of other African bloggers including, Sylvia Kamau (Kenya), Aisha Baker (South Africa), and Theodora Lee(South Africa).
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