This August, Lionesses of Africa is featuring the talented women entrepreneurs who are changing the PR, media and communications landscape in Africa through their innovation, products, services and their passion for what they do.
Read moreCalling all social innovators in South Africa: Your chance to apply for the 2016/17 Impumelelo Awards
Impumelelo, the Stellenbosch Academy for Social Innovation, in partnership with the Distell Development Trust, is inviting applicants to apply for the 2016/17 Impumelelo Awards. The Impumelelo Social Innovations Centre’s award is an independent awards programme based on rigorous evaluations. It is one of the few mechanisms that uncovers what is good and what works in South Africa. The award’s end goal is to promote initiatives in civil society, the public and private sector, that improve the quality of the life of the poor in exceptional ways.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Sarah Collins
Sarah Collins, founder of Wonderbag
"My heroines are African women. I am exceptionally proud to be African. Our resilience and capacity for innovation is so inspiring!"
- Sarah Collins is the founder and CEO of Wonderbag, a simple non electric slow cooker which works in mud huts in Africa to Manhattan apartments, possibly one of the only cooking devices that is globally relevant! Sarah is a South African adventurer, entrepreneur, and lifelong social activist. She thrives on challenges and has worked tirelessly over the past two decades to inspire change in the realms of gender-equality and environmental sustainability. As of November 2015, Wonderbag reached the 1 million milestone of Wonderbags sold across the world.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Susan Kinuthia: Take small steps in the right direction
Susan Kinuthia, founder of Ruzena Naturals (Kenya)
Start with a small step....
"The smallest step in the right direction can end up being the biggest step of your life. Tip toe if you must, but just take the step."
- Susan Kinuthia, is the founder of Ruzena Naturals in Kenya, a company that manufactures natural handmade soaps from shea butter, cocoa butter and cold pressed oils like sesame oil, black castor oil and palm kernel oil. A Graphic Designer by profession, Susan quit the corporate world in January 2014 to follow her passion and launch her entrepreneurial journey. Having successfully developed her core product range, Susan plans to introduce at least four more soap variants in the next year, as well as a hair treatment and body lotion.
Read moreSarah Collins, founder of Wonderbag, is named the Fairlady Woman of the Future for 2016
Fairlady announced the winners of its annual Fairlady Women of the Future Awards, in partnership with Santam, at an exclusive VIP luncheon at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg on Friday 19 August. Sarah Collins, founder of Wonderbag, was named the Fairlady Woman of the Future for 2016.
Read moreVIDEO: Bilikiss Adebiyi on how Wecyclers is creating a business model for recycling in Lagos
Bilikiss Adebiyi, co-founder and CEO of Wecyclers in Nigeria talks about how the idea for her business started in an MIT class; how the service works; the incentives people receive to recycle; how it works financially for this social enterprise; and her ambitions for the business.
Read moreTabitha Karanja receives the Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize presented by the Millennium Excellence Foundation
Kenya's Keroche Breweries founder and chief executive Tabitha Karanja has been recognised for her fighting spirit and entrepreneurial mind. She received the Entrepreneurial Excellence in Africa Award in the Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize in Accra, Ghana on Saturday 20 August, becoming only the fourth Kenyan to have won the prize after former President Mwai Kibaki, industrialist Manu Chandaria and US-based Harvard University Professor Calestous Juma.
Read moreSusan Kinuthia, a Kenyan entrepreneur taking on the skin and haircare industry by providing natural alternatives
Susan Kinuthia, founder of Ruzena Naturals (Kenya)
Starting any business with a personal passion is always a good building block, and Susan Kinuthia is taking her love of natural skin and hair products to the next level, using it as the inspiration for her own company, Ruzena Naturals. This new kid on the beauty block is creating high quality, natural skin and haircare products for people who are sensitive to mass produced, chemical laced products on the market.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Divine Ndhlukula
Divine Ndhlukula, founder SECURICO Security Services (Zimbabwe)
“What Africa requires are entrepreneurs that start up and create not just wealth for themselves, but employment for others, because that is what is vital for sustainable development.”
- 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. She is also the largest employer of women in her country outside of government.
Read moreEVENT REPORT: Women’s Month in South Africa celebrated with three inspirational Lioness Lean In Breakfast Events
Every year in the month of August, South Africa celebrates National Women’s Month, and to support this commemorative initiative, Lionesses of Africa, powered by Standard Bank, made plans to host three of its hugely popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast Events. The first two events have now taken place, the first in Durban on 16th August, and the second in Johannesburg on 18th August. At each event, women entrepreneurs representing all sectors of business and industry, gathered for a morning of inspirational startup story sharing and great networking.
Read moreBridget Edwards, a South African stress expert on a mission to help others to overcome challenges in life
Bridget Edwards, author and emotional change catalyst
For many people, stress can have a devastating impact on their lives, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Bridget Edwards is an entrepreneur and specialist stress counsellor showing people how to harness stress as a positive force, rather than a negative one. Her consulting work and her books provide an inspirational guide to living life more positively and differently, resolving personal challenges and issues along the way.
Read moreEssential Read: Networking: Success For Women Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners by Jenn August
Jenn August, author, certified business success coach, success mindset expert & international speaker
Networking should be fun and profitable! But for many women entrepreneurs, networking is tough and doesn’t come naturally. If networking is not working for you, it's not your fault - it's just not the right kind of networking. Jenn August, the founder of Women's Success Tribe an international women's networking organization, shares the secrets to creating successful and profitable business connections in her new book, Networking: Success For Women Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners.
Read moreGloria Michelle Otieno, a Kenyan entrepreneur with a passion for human resources and skills development
Gloria Otieno, founder of Recours Four Kenya Consultants (Kenya)
Finding the perfect niche for a business is always a tricky thing, but for Gloria Otieno, she knew intrinsically that her entrepreneurial journey would like in the field of human resources and training. Her business, Recours Four Kenya Consultants Limited, is allowing her to live her dream and fulfil not just her aspirations, but also those of all the young people who use its services. She is making a huge difference to the development of a new, well-trained population who will drive the future economy of the country.
Read more100 LIONESSES: Margaret Hirsch wins the Top Business Women of 2016 Award at Standard Bank's Top Woman Awards
Margaret Hirsch, co-founder of Hirsch's Homestores (South Africa)
Johannesburg, 18 August --- Margaret Hirsch wins the Top Business Women of 2016 Award at the Topco Media and Standard Bank Top Women Awards hosted on 18 August 2016 at Emperor’s Palace, Johannesburg. This event celebrates and recognises female leaders in business that form a part of the 13–year legacy that is the Top Women Awards.
Read moreSecond lucky winner announced for the Lioness Lean In Breakfast SnappSales #WomensMonth value drive competition
Tinyiko Mareane and Boitumelo Mogoai, founders of Nik Muffins
The amazing Lioness Lean In Breakfast SnappSales #WomensMonth value drive competition giveaway continued on Thursday 18th August at the Standard Bank Business Incubator in Johannesburg, and to a rapturous reception. Karen Wessels, co-founder of SnappSales and the inspiration behind the giveaway to celebrate National Women’s Month in South Africa, was once again on hand at the event to announce the giveaway.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Juliana Rotich
Juliana Rotich, technologist, strategic advisor, and entrepreneur (Kenya)
“We need to open up to experiences and to visiting other African countries to learn about them, so that when we talk about intra-African trade ... it’s not just the thing that people talk about at the World Economic Forum Africa,”
- Juliana Rotich is a technologist, strategic advisor, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker. She is Executive Director of BRCK.org, a not for profit affiliate of BRCK Inc. for deploying reliable technology for the edges of society, and advocating for internet access and literacy. She drives partnerships for tackling social problems through connectivity and appropriate technology. She is a Venture Partner in Africa Technology Ventures (ATV) which is raising a fund to invest in and support the growth of tech enabled start-ups in key sectors in East and West Africa. She is a champion for internet connectivity and works to support entrepreneurs to scale their work and impact.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Amanda Ioannoy: Dream big and aim even higher!
Amanda Ioannoy (founder) & Varisha Singh, the dynamic duo behind Ambella Corporate and Promotional Gifts(South Africa)
Dream big and aim even higher!...
"With many young women today, the lack of self belief and the "I Can" attitude is common, yet something as simple as this can change your outlook on any situation. The belief in yourself is the most powerful attribute to have, and with this attribute already half of the battle is won!"
- Amanda Ioannoy is the founder of Ambella Corporate and Promotional Gifts in South Africa, a company that provides gifting and promotional merchandise products to effectively promote company brands. Amanda is passionate about enriching the brands she works with and to positively impact the corporate world by creating a thriving brand culture. With a B.Comm degree in Business Management and as a dedicated wife and mother to two beautiful girls, Amanda embodies the lifestyle and career aspirations of today's generation of women entrepreneurs.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Claire Keet: Be clear about your motivation for starting up
Claire Keet, founder of Sentiens (South Africa)
Be clear about your motivation for starting up....
"Interrogate your motivation for starting a business. And be honest with yourself. That motivation is what you'll rely on to get you out of bed when it feels like your business is failing. It will be what helps you remain strong when you're learning the really tough lessons, of which there will be plenty. It will inspire you to find solutions for challenges that seem unconquerable. Write down your motivation and make sure it's real enough not to waver in the face of the fear, hard work, stress and challenges that you will face."
- Claire Keet is a multi-faceted entrepreneur and the founder of Sentiens in South Africa, a company that works with local designers to create a range of beautiful, functional yoga and fitness gear. Claire's focus is on printed yoga and active mats, which combine gorgeous aesthetics with great performance. She studied a Bachelor of Journalism specialising in English Literature and Communication Design at Rhodes University before the call to explore sent her packing to Asia where she travelled extensively and made a life for herself in South Korea for several years. She returned to South Africa to launch the creative, brand consultancy, BorisHenry in 2012.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Uche Pedro
Uche Pedro, founder of BellaNaija.com (Nigeria)
"We might not be able to meet up in a town hall somewhere but via Twitter, via Facebook, via BellaNaija, we can, you know, we can come together, and we can make a change."
- Uche Pedro is founder of BellaNaija.com, a company that develops and delivers exciting online content aimed at Nigerian and Pan-African audiences. Uche’s savvy grasp of media trends has led to BellaNaija.com becoming the go-to lifestyle, entertainment and fashion portal in Africa. Her website has established a loyal following amongst the young, cosmopolitan, upwardly mobile set in Nigeria, with over 1 million unique visitors and 9 million page views each month.
Read moreFirst winner announced for the Lioness Lean In Breakfast SnappSales #WomensMonth value drive competition
Tebogo Petlele, founder of Seponono (South Africa)
This month it’s great to be in the Lionesses of Africa community, particularly for those women entrepreneurs attending the Lioness Lean In Breakfast events in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town. There is an amazing giveaway taking place at each event, courtesy of the inspirational Karen Wessels, co-founder of SnappSales. And, the first winner has just been announced from the Durban event which took place yesterday 16th August.
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