How well do you understand the ecosystem in which you are working? What will happen next in this space? How will the forces shaping it affect your venture?
Read moreEssential Read: Entrepreneurship is a Mindset not a Storefront by Yolanda Conley Shields
Yolanda Conley Shields
In her new book, "Entrepreneurship is a Mindset not a Store Front”, Yolanda Conley Shields, shows just how to create the type of mindset that shapes your understanding of how to stay focused in business. She gives practical advice and information on what it takes to keep you moving on your business journey, and how to stayinnovative in order to create great ideas, seize new opportunities and facilitate change that makes breakthroughs.
Read moreThe Global Women’s Summit brings Johannesburg’s women together in the spirit of innovative transformation
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. On Friday 5 August, the Global Women’s Summit was hosted by Johannesburg, South Africa.
Read moreHanita Muthray, a South African entrepreneur making her mark in the spa and wellness industry
Nish & Hanita Muthray, founder of Nt Shonalanga Valley Resort (South Africa)
Many entrepreneurs find themselves pivoting along their career journeys, often by finding a passion that can translate into a business. Hanita Muthray’s entrepreneurial journey took such a turn, making the move from physiotherapy and joining the family business. Today, her experience and passion for wellness has found a new mission through the creation of a successful company, Nt Shonalanga Valley Resort, that creates a unique spa and wellness experience for individuals and corporates alike.
Read moreChristine Khasinah Odero - A Kenyan entrepreneur on a mission to connect and inspire mums in her country
Christine Khasinah Odero, founder of Supamamas (Kenya)
Every mum and mum-to-be knows how important it is to learn as much as possible about being a parent and caring for those precious little ones. Seeing a gap in the market for a focused online and event platform that would bring the best information, networking and support for mums in Kenya, led to entrepreneur Christine Khasinah Odero creating Supamamas, a destination of choice for discerning mums.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Hend El Sherbini
Dr. Hend El Sherbini, founder & CEO of Integrated Diagnostics Holding (Egypt)
"If you’re like a man in business, then they call you aggressive. It’s not like this in Egypt alone. It’s like this all the time."
- Dr. Hend El Sherbini is a professor of clinical pathology and the founder and CEO of Integrated Diagnostics Holding, the largest private sector healthcare diagnostics service provider in Egypt. She built her company from one lab founded by her mother into a company with 4,000 employees, 290 branches and four medical diagnostic labs across the Middle East. In May 2015, Hend led Integrated Diagnostics Holdings to an IPO on the London Stock Exchange that put its value at $700 million.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Divine Ndhlukula: Leave the cash in your business as long as you can
Don't be tempted to take cash out of your early-stage startup venture....
"...when a bit of cash starts rolling in, have the discipline to know that it is not your money yet. It is still the business’s money because you want the business to grow. So for you to sustain it and enjoy phenomenal growth, that anyone going into business wants, you need to reinvest all the little bits of cash that you get then you can be assured that your business will grow."
- Divine Ndhlukula founded SECURICO Security Services from humble beginnings in Zimbabwe in 1998. Divine identified a need in the market for a quality oriented security company and she has driven SECURICO to become the market leader in Zimbabwe. She has tackled a previously male-dominated industry head on and her business success story is nothing short of remarkable - marking her as one of Africa's most tenacious and inspiring women entrepreneurs.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Abisola Owolawi: Don't wait for a 'right time'
Abisola Owolawi, founder of 30Watt Media (Nigeria)
Don't wait for a 'right time'....
"If you are passionate about driving change and solving problems, there is no better time than now. Start somewhere, seek advice, do some research, seek funding or start small. Move one step closer today."
- Abisola Owolawi, is the founder of 30Watt Media in Nigeria, an integrated consultancy with a focus on communications and how it affects human capital within organisations. Abisola has wide ranging experience in Business Media and Communications, her professional expertise cutting across Radio, Television and Publishing platforms in key Sub-Saharan Africa markets. Prior to founding 30Watt Media, she served as the West Africa Correspondent to Forbes Africa, Forbes Woman Africa & Forbes Life Africa magazines respectively, before which she held Management roles at CNBC Africa and 3S Media.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Kofo Akinkugbe
Kofo Akinkugbe, founder & CEO of SecureID Nigeria Ltd
"You will have opposition. If you're going to stand out, you are not going to be loved by the crowd. It can be lonely."
- Kofo Akinkugbe is recognised globally for her entrepreneurial success story and strong business track record. She is founder & CEO of SecureID Nigeria Ltd a market leader in smart card technology and digital security in Africa. SecureID is a world-class manufacturing facility with the only smart card production plant in West Africa and one of only six on the continent. In January 2015 the company commissioned a new state-of-the-art EMV-certified smartcard manufacturing plant – the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company serves 16 countries across Africa and is fully certified by VISA, Verve and MasterCard. In 2012, Kofo won the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship Mature Business Award.
Read moreAbisola Owolawi - a Nigerian entrepreneur harnessing communications to positively impact human capital
Abisola Owolawi, founder of 30Watt Media (Nigeria)
Nigerian woman-owned startup 30Watt Media understands the power of exceptional service delivery and great communication, helping companies to make the necessary business shifts from simply selling products to offering real customer experiences. At the heart of the business is an understanding of the power of human capital to make a difference to the way consumers experience brands and businesses.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Mariam Mpaata: It takes hard work and lots of patience
Mariam Mpaata, founder of Junior Stars Youth Development Programme (Kenya)
It takes hard work and lots of patience....
"I have come to believe that entrepreneurship is harder than most people think. It requires extra, extra hard work and lots of patience. The greatest thing, however, is that entrepreneurship has overwhelming benefits including financial, psychological and social."
- Mariam Mpaata, founder of Junior Stars Youth Development Programme in Kenya, a social enterprise that uses football and mentorship to empower youth and women. She organises a host of local leagues, training programmes, awards, and a mentoring programme - all using soccer to uplift an inspire young people. Mariam's positive contribution has seen her recognised and listed in the Business Daily’s ‘Top 40 Under 40 Remarkable Women in 2014, and recently by Chase Bank’s ‘Top 30 Under 40 Muslim Women in Kenya.’
Read moreQuote of the Day by Tabitha Karanja
Tabitha Karanja, founder and CEO of Keroche Breweries
“Believe in yourself because you’re not likely to get much help from men if they perceive you as a threat. I knew what I wanted in life and I worked day and night to achieve it, and here I am.”
- 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 by Wendy Ackerman
"Everything is possible. Impossible just takes a little longer.”
- Wendy Ackerman is one of the founders and an Executive Director of Pick n Pay Stores. Together with husband Raymond Ackerman she helped build up one of South Africa’s pre-eminent FMCG retailers, consisting of over 450 stores including 121 supermarkets and 14 hypermarkets. Operations are in food, clothing, and general merchandise sectors as well as financial services. The company operates throughout South Africa, southern Africa and Australia and employs around 49,000 people. Today, much of Wendy's boundless energy is devoted to her family's philanthropic endeavours and her personal work for the underprivileged.
Read moreQuartz Africa Innovators List 2016 recognises 7 of Africa’s groundbreaking women entrepreneurs
July saw the launch of the Quartz Africa Innovators List for 2016 and a number of Africa’s truly inspirational women entrepreneurs were recognised for their groundbreaking work in their respective sectors.
Read moreEssential Read: Time Miracles: A Sanity-Saving Plan for Women Juggling Family and Business by Joanne Ernst
Joanne Ernst
Most women entrepreneurs experience the stress of trying to manage running a successful business, whilst at the same time juggling the demands of family life and personal relationships. Author Joanne Ernst’s new book, Time Miracles, is written for the busy woman entrepreneur who is trying to manage the stress of balancing all facets of life that can leave you feeling you are being pulled in multiple directions at the same time.
Read moreCelebrating Kenya’s talented women entrepreneurs putting the country on the global business map
Through the month of July at Lionesses of Africa, we have been focusing on the inspirational women entrepreneurs who are changing the face of business in Kenya. Each of these businesswomen, in their own unique way, is making a positive contribution to the growingentrepreneurial environment in Kenya. Their successful businesses, brands and social enterprises are helping to put the country firmly on the pan-African and global business map.
Read moreMariam Mpaata - A Kenyan social entrepreneur with a passion for soccer empowers youth and women in her country through sport
Mariam Mpaata, founder of Junior Stars Youth Development Programme (Kenya)
To make real social change happen in Africa, you need people with the vision and passion to make a difference, and to find practical solutions to challenges faced each day. Mariam Mpaata is one such social entrepreneur on a mission to empower youth and women through the power of soccer, and started her Junior Stars Youth Development Programme to make a huge impact on young people’s lives in Kenya.
Read moreValerie Nyamwaya, a Kenyan fashionpreneur putting local designers on the global map
Valerie Nyamwaya, founder of Afrivazi Limited (Kenya)
Kenya is fast becoming a rising star of African fashion, with new talented designers emerging every day. Afrivazi is a company helping those designers reach discerning customers looking to support proudly ‘Made in Kenya’ brand names, and its founder Valerie Nyamwaya, is an entrepreneur on a mission to make it happen.
Read moreMichelle Ntalami, a Kenyan haircare entrepreneur making natural products for the African woman
Michelle Ntalami, founder of Marini Naturals (Kenya)
Marini Naturals is a proudly Kenyan natural haircare brand, designed to celebrate women’s natural kinks and curls. Founded by entrepreneur Michelle Ntalami, the vision for the brand is to create a range of haircare products that take their inspiration and ingredients from nature, but which help beauty conscious women to really showcase their beautiful and naturally curly hair.
Read moreTiguidanke Mounir Camara - The Guinean woman entrepreneur breaking barriers in African mining
Tiguidanke Mounir Camara, founder of TIGUI MINING GROUP TMG (Guinea)
Africa’s mining sector is focused on sustainability, entrepreneurship, and contributing meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the continent. Local communities depend on these natural resources for their futures and this requires new ways of thinking, not to mention a new approach to ensuring diversity in the sector. One woman entrepreneur is leading the way - Tiguidanke Mounir Camara is the founder of the woman-mine owned TIGUI MINING GROUP (TMG) and is carving a new and exciting pathway for women in Africa’s mining sector.
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