#LionessRoar 'The Voice of Africa’s Women Entrepreneurs' is Lionesses of Africa's social media campaign to celebrate Women’s Entrepreneurship Day 2016. Make sure to joins this year's campaign to raise the voice of Africa's women entrepreneurs and take our message across the African continent and around the globe.
Read moreLionesses of Africa launches in Mozambique with its first Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event on 17 November
November is an exciting month for Lionesses of Africa as it officially launches in Maputo, Mozambique with the first Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event on the morning of 17 November 2016, powered by Standard Bank in partnership with Shell. The event is being held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Av. da Marginal, Maputo, Mozambique and starts at 8.30am, finishing at 11.30am.
Read moreRaheel Muhammad, a South African woman entrepreneur passionate about helping fellow entrepreneurs to improve their businesses
Raheel Muhammad, founder of Excolo (South Africa)
Many entrepreneurs are so focused on the day to day pressures and challenges of running their businesses that they don’t realize how much their companies could benefit from external help in ensuring their business processes are optimized for success. Well, help is at hand - Excolo is the brainchild company of South African entrepreneur Raheel Muhammad and it’s on a mission to bring operational excellence to any company.
Read moreEvylin Munyi, a Kenyan entrepreneur on a mission to improve the livelihood of farmers in the country through organic agriculture
Evylin Munyi, co-founder of KOFAR Kenya
Kenya is a country renowned for its agriculture and the quality of its produce, but for many small-holder farmers, the challenge is improving both yields and livelihoods. For Evylin Munyi and her co-founder at KOFAR Kenya Ltd, the solution was to create a business that would help farms to repair the soil using organic materials to boost crops and farm efficiency.
Read moreSo, do I have a brand?
As an entrepreneur, you need to be a Jack of all trades. In addition to being a subject matter specialist in your area of expertise, you’re also running a business which demands that you maintain involvement in everything from administration and accounts through to marketing and client relationship management.
Read moreESSENTIAL READ: Funded: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Raising Your First Round by Katherine Hague
Katherine Hague, author and angel investor
The venture capital world is often intimidating and hard to navigate, even for the most seasoned entrepreneurs. But it doesn’t have to be. Entrepreneurs who run effective fundraising processes don’t do it by accident. With this book, you’ll learn what it takes to successfully raise a round of funding for your company.
Read moreMary-Anne Calvert, a South African entrepreneur passionate about learning, skills training and leadership development
Mary-Anne Calvert, founder of The Human Element (South Africa)
Smart companies and organizations understand the power of developing their employees’ full potential, and The Human Element is one company on a mission to make learning and development both impactful and fun for its clients.
Read moreCelebrating 4 Winning Women Entrepreneurs At The 2016 South African Small Business Award Winners
The accomplishments of the small business community in South Africa was in the spotlight as winners of the 2016 South African Small Business Awards were announced on 10 November at Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg. In its eighth year, the South African Small Business Awards acknowledge the country’s most outstanding businesses and the remarkable people behind them. The awards are hosted by the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC).
Read moreVIDEO: Adèle Dejak talks about Kenya's fashion industry gaining traction
Adèle Dejak is one of an emerging group of entrepreneurs who are adding value to Kenya's arts and fashion industry. Speaking to Nikiwe Bikitsha for the Africa Connected series, the jewellery designer said that she aims to create a platform that shares information with women that will empower them in business. Adele is part of a group called "Lionesses of Africa" which aims to recognise all those women entrepreneurs in Africa who are an inspiration to us all, those who have made it to the top of their fields and who are shaking up their industries and business sectors.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Rozanne Collings: Chase your dreams
Rozanne Collings, founder of Chillalas (South Africa)
Chase your dreams....
"Don’t listen to logic. If you know that there is more to you than your 9-5, more to you than just being a mommy or a wife, then abandon logic and chase your dreams with all you have. Don’t let the naysayers kill your dreams!"
- Rozanne Collings is the founder of Chillalas in South Africa, a company that produces fresh, home-made and healthy chilli paste. Rozanne is a passionate and talented home cook who took her love of spice and turned it into a business that is inspiring other cooks who appreciate the culinary power of the chilli. Her new chilli paste brand Chillalas is livening up kitchens and meals across South Africa.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Deborah Nicholls
Deborah Nicholls, founder of Ageless Grace (South Africa)
"If it's your passion - DO IT!"
- Deborah Nicholls is the founder of Ageless Grace in South Africa, a company that provides Anti-Aging Exercise and fitness programmes. Deborah is an educator and teacher of Anti-Aging Exercises – Timeless Fitness for longevity of your body and mind. Deborah resides in Cape Town and offers Ageless Grace group classes to fitness centres, gyms, community centres, wellness centres, schools and retirement villages.
Read moreEntrepreneur advice for Eldari Visser: Never ever doubt yourself
Eldari Visser, founder of Picketfence Life (South Africa)
Never ever doubt yourself....
"Start as soon as possible - work on that dream. Never ever doubt yourself or listen to negative people. Don't let a bad economy stop you, but always keep your heart open for your customer. Without them you have nothing."
- Eldari Visser is the founder of Picketfence Life in South Africa, a one stop place for the consumer to find expert advice from financial coaches, lawyers, accountants and tax practitioners, life and business coaches, and even psychologists. Following a long and successful corporate career in training, lecturing and finance, Eldari decided to launch her company to support people by providing them with an avenue to easily reach expert advice.
Read moreQuote of the Day Mariéme Jamme
Mariéme Jamme, Senegalese-Born CEO, blogger, technologist and social entrepreneur
"In the next fifteen years, I believe technology and finance will change the lives of millions of girls across the world, like it changed mine and that of my friends Barbara in Uganda, Ndeye Awa in Senegal and Lorene in Kinshasa - women who today are also helping to educate girls by teaching them to code."
- Mariéme Jamme is a Senegalese born-British businesswoman, who runs a technology consultancy business. She is best known for her role in promoting technology, good governance, transparency and a better education standard in Africa. She was recently named as one of the 100 most influential Africans of 2014 by the Africa Business Magazine and Forbes Magazine.
Read moreShona MacDonald, founder of Shonaquip, wins the inaugural SAB Foundation Disability Empowerment Award
Shona MacDonald, founder of Shonaquip (South Africa)
At this year’s SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards, Shona MacDonald, founder of Shonaquip in South Africa, was announced as the winner of the inaugural Disability Empowerment Award at an official awards ceremony on 27 October 2016. The award was established in recognition of the increase in the number of innovations providing solutions for people with disabilities. As a means of recognizing the critical work carried out in this under-served sector, the SAB Foundation established the Disability Empowerment Awards, which carries an additional total prize money of R1.5-million. In judging this award, the innovation’s business potential, innovation, life change potential and scalability was reviewed.
Read moreRozanne Collings, a South African entrepreneur turning her love for cooking and the humble chilli to new culinary heights
Rozanne Collings, founder of Chillalas (South Africa)
Anyone who loves cooking understands how crucial it is to get great ingredients for the pantry, particularly when it comes to spicing up favourite dishes. Passionate and talented home cook Rozanne Collings took her love of spice and turned it into a business that is inspiring other cooks who appreciate the culinary power of the chilli. Her new chilli paste brand Chillalas is livening up kitchens and meals across South Africa.
Read moreHow entrepreneurs can provide opportunities to the unskilled labour force
One of the greatest challenges in Africa is recruiting the unskilled labour force that makes up the majority of unemployed people. Where we've seen exponential growth in the number of new businesses, in spite of the challenges in accessing markets and funding, skills pose a limitation on the growth of these businesses.
Read moreDeborah DB Nicholls, a South African entrepreneur with a passion for wellness and a unique approach to exercise for anti-ageing
Deborah Nicholls, founder of Ageless Grace (South Africa)
Helping clients to achieve ‘ageless grace’ is the vision that entrepreneur Deborah Nicholls has for her company and she has developed an innovative exercise and wellness programme called Ageless Grace - Anti-Ageing Exercises for Body & Brain, which provides the solution.
Read moreESSENTIAL READ: Flight Club: Rebel, Reinvent, and Thrive: How To Launch Your Dream Business by Felena Hanson
Felena Hanson, entrepreneur & author
Flight Club is a call to rebel, reinvent, and thrive! The book shares the journey of women who "leaned out" of the corporate world to launch their dream businesses. Author Felena Hanson, founder of Hera Hub, shares her personal story and rise to entrepreneurship.
Read moreBuilding sales confidence with a winning mindset
Being an entrepreneur automatically means that you keep learning. You keep developing your skills-sets, understanding new ways of doing business and applying new methods to make your business better. The same principles are applied to sales. If you want to be a better salesperson, with the understanding that all entrepreneurs are salespeople, then you need to keep honing your skills and developing your mindset to have a winning attitude in sales.
Read moreEldari Visser, a South African entrepreneur aiming to be the expert on your side of the fence
Eldari Visser, founder of Picketfence Life (South Africa)
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a professional expert in a particular field walking your life journey with you and providing support and advice along the way? Well, entrepreneur Eldari Visser knows the value of having such experts at hand, and her unique company, Picketfence Life, is providing access to information, advice and a powerful network of such experts.
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