Quote of the Day by Victoria Kisyombe

December 29, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Victoria Kisyombe, founder of SELFINA, Tanzania — **Victoria Kisyombe**, founder of SELFINA, Tanzania

"This is the era for Africa to move forward, and if Africa is moving forward, the women can move forward with it."

- 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.

Quote of the Day by Ally Angula

December 28, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Ally Angula, co-founder of Leap Holdings (Namibia) — **Ally Angula**, co-founder of Leap Holdings (Namibia)

"I believe we have to seriously start creating job opportunities. We have to become active doers and entrepreneurs and not rely so much on social support from government, like social grants."

- Ally Angula is a qualified charted accountant and co-founder of Leap Holdings, a group of companies involved in the growing of fresh produce, garment manufacturing and retail in Namibia. She is also the founder of My Republik Brand, Namibia’s first locally designed, manufactured and retailed clothing brand with a flagship store situated in the Grove Mall in Windhoek's Kleine Kuppe suburb. She currently serves as non-executive director for Old Mutual Life Assurance (Namibia) and Rio Tinto's Rossing Uranium mine in Namibia. Ally was chosen as a Desmond Tutu Fellowship programme Associate in April 2013 and was one of two Namibian entrepreneurs selected to attend the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit hosted by US President Barack Obama in Kenya.

Entrepreneur Advice from Sharon Sinclair - You deserve the dream

December 28, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Sharon Sinclair, founder of Chandramala (South Africa) — **Sharon Sinclair**, founder of Chandramala (South Africa)

You deserve the dream....

"Follow your passion, your instinct, surround yourself only with people who inspire your dream. Never give up, no matter what, you deserve the dream, otherwise you would not have the dream. Love Life!"

- Sharon Sinclair is the founder of Chandramala in South Africa, a Mindful Business Consultancy, bringing a holistic approach to business through people understanding and development. Sharon has 22 years experience within the Financial, Human Resources & Recruitment industries, all on a senior management level. Sharon follows a harmoniuous flow within Chandramala, looking always at business from a global and holistic approach.

Quote of the Day from Shona McDonald

December 27, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Shona McDonald, founder of Shonaquip (South Africa) — Shona McDonald, founder of Shonaquip (South Africa)

"Take risks, be brave, follow your dreams, just do it and make the world a better place. We all need to work together!"

- Shona McDonald is the founder of Shonaquip, a social enterprise that develops mobility devices to improve physical access and quality of life for people living with disabilities in under-resourced and rural regions in Africa. The company designs, manufactures and supplies posture support wheelchairs, mobility equipment and other positioning devices. Founded in 1992, Shonaquip is the first woman run wheelchair business of its kind in Africa and is considered a model for many social enterprises all over the world.

Entrepreneur Advice from Nozi Kubeka: Keep pushing

December 27, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Nozi Kubeka, founder of Zon Communications (South Africa) — **Nozi Kubeka**, founder of Zon Communications (South Africa)

Keep pushing....

"Do not entertain fear. If you feel any fear (which you will) ignore it and keep pushing until you get to where you want to be. Surround yourself with support, like Lionesses of Africa, and find mentors to help guide you through your journey."

- Nozi Kubeka is the founder of Zon Communications in South Africa, a company on a mission to provide advice, support and life skills to young people through talks and workshops in schools, and youth organisations. Nozi is an entrepreneur, author and speaker who is passionate about transforming the lives of young people through empowering them with a powerful message of how to make wise life choices and decisions.

Jenny Reid, a South African human risk expert helping companies to screen and vet their prospective employees

December 24, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Jenny Reid, founder of iFacts (South Africa) — **Jenny Reid**, founder of iFacts (South Africa)

In the world of HR, companies and organisations are increasingly cognizant of the fact that their employees are their biggest asset and potentially also their biggest risk. Getting the right people is critical for success. South African entrepreneur, Jenny Reid, founder of iFacts, is constantly assessing new and innovative ways to remove the people risk in companies and organisations.

100 LIONESSES: Monica Musonda receives Champion of the South Award for her innovative company Java Foods

December 24, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Monica Musonda, funder of Java Foods (Zambia) — **Monica Musonda**, funder of Java Foods (Zambia)

Zambian businesswoman Monica Musonda has been awarded the MEDays 2016 Forum “Champion of the South” award by the Amadeus Institute, an independent Moroccan think-tank, at a ceremony in Tangiers, Morocco. The recognition was for her creation of her innovative company, Java Foods, which is a model for a new generation of business leaders.

Anila Mussá, the startup story of a Mozambican entrepreneur creating an online market connecting small producers with major consumer markets

December 23, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Anila Mussá, founder of IZYSHOP (Mozambique) — **Anila Mussá**, founder of IZYSHOP (Mozambique)

There is often a challenge in Africa for small to medium sized producers, particularly in the agricultural sector, finding access to markets, and in turn consumers finding access to greater choice in the marketplace. One Mozambican entrepreneur, Anila Mussá, and her business IZYSHOP, is trying to do something to solve this problem in her country.

How to deal with festive season holiday stress

December 23, 2016 Melanie Hawken

December holidays and the festive season is supposed to be a joyous occasion and time for celebration, but in reality this has become an overrated commercial racket, complete with extravagance and over-indulgence. Typically prices sky-rocket and stocks are limited. People fret over what gifts to buy. Budgets are limited, yet people overspend and get into debt. Crowds, queues and traffic bottlenecks become the norm. Resorts are overcrowded. As people overindulge, diets fly out the window. Naturally emotions spiral uncontrollably. Frustrations, guilt, regret, remorse and stress levels soar.

Quote of the Day from Jessica Bonin

December 23, 2016 Melanie Hawken

"I believe that anything that lasts takes time to create. You have to lay the foundations and wait for the cement to dry before you can build the first level, and on it goes."

- Jessica Bonin is the founder of Lady Bonin’s Tea, a Cape Town-based company that blends and distributes organic loose leaf teas sourced direct from farms that use sustainable farming practices and are community driven. The teas and herbs, by their source, are exceptionally high in quality, improving nutritive content and flavor density. Tea is Jessica’s business, her passion and her practice.

Essential Read: Wife. Mom. Entrepreneur: 23 Tips and Lessons to Juggling It All by Lanise Herman-Thomas and Janine Smalls-Gueye

December 23, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Wife. Mom. Entrepreneur: 23 Tips and Lessons to Juggling It All by authors Lanise Herman-Thomas and Janine Smalls-Gueye is your reference guide to the tried-and-true juggling act to financial wealth building while being a wife, mom, and entrepreneur.

The importance of setting your small business marketing goals for 2017

December 23, 2016 Melanie Hawken

We can all acknowledge that 2016 has been a phenomenal year, a year graced with fundamental business lessons, sprouting with opportunities and great networking sessions. So what does 2017 have in store for us? Do you have a marketing strategy in place for the New Year?

Entrepreneur Advice from Mavis Nduchwa: Start farming!

December 22, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Mavis Nduchwa, founder of Chabana Farms (Botswana) — **Mavis Nduchwa**, founder of Chabana Farms (Botswana)

Go into agriculture as a business....

"I would say to the youth out there to just go and do it. There are so many new techniques and platforms to use in terms of technology, so you can take advantage of your knowledge in this space and start farming. Go into agriculture as a business. We are trying to make this sector funky for young people to consider as a career path too."

- Mavis Nduchwa is the founder of a family owned enterprise, Chabana Farms, located in Semitwe Village, in the Tutumwe sub-district of Botswana. This intrepid, young farmer practices integrated farming, with a key focus on poultry and eggs. She is passionate about non-GMO products and environmentally friendly production methods.

Read Mavis's startup story here.

Quote of the Day by Abai Schulze

December 21, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Abai Schulze, founder of ZAAF, Ethiopia — **Abai Schulze**, founder of ZAAF, Ethiopia

"Real economic development is about producing top quality products using unique cultural, natural and human resources that can find a place at the highest levels in the global marketplace,"

- Abai Schulze is founder of the creative, new Afro-luxe brand ZAAF who create handcrafted luxury leather handbags and accessories produced by artisans in Ethiopia. Abai, born in a remote village in Ethiopia, has had a truly remarkable life journey. Her journey has taken her from an orphanage in Addis Ababa to the United States where she was raised, and back to Ethiopia. Today, she passionately uses her background in economics and fine arts to create unique and practical expressions of beauty, and to open avenues of opportunity for talented artisans in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. Her designs draw upon precious cultural relics and allow them renewed expression through fresh, uplifting and modern designs.

Entrepreneur Advice from Nicci Stewart: Ask for help

December 20, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Nicci Stewart, founder of The Why Effect (South Africa) — **Nicci Stewart**, founder of The Why Effect (South Africa)

Ask for help....

"Ask for help, it's out there and people are willing to help, but still be prepared to work hard."

- Nicci Stewart is the founder of The Why Effect in South Africa, a company focused on helping entrepreneurs put the right strategies, systems and processes and resources in place to create sustainable, growing businesses. Nicci works with her clients to help them make the most of an entrepreneurial network and examine opportunities such as enterprise or supplier development programmes. Nicci is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10 000 Women programme for female entrepreneurs and is currently enrolled in the Women’s Leadership programme at the Gordon Institute of Business Science.

Quote of the Day by Victoria Verbaan

December 20, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Victoria Verbaan, founder of Victoria Verbaan & the Smoking Daxi — **Victoria Verbaan**, founder of Victoria Verbaan & the Smoking Daxi

"I have had to learn that it is important to just get your products and designs out there, regardless if it is 100% perfect or not. It is perhaps one of the hardest lessons to learn for a creative entrepreneur I think."

- Victoria Verbaan, the founder of Victoria Verbaan & the Smoking Daxi, is an established designer, artist and illustrator. She works in a wide variety of artistic disciplines ranging from illustration and painting to the design of bespoke rugs, wallpaper, limited edition fine art prints, fabric and more recently, ceramics. Her commissioned artwork and fabric can be seen in local and international homes as well as restaurants and boutique hotels. Wallpaper Magazine recently named her as 1 of 20 reasons to visit South Africa.

Megan Richards, a South African entrepreneur taking lifestyle blogging to a whole new level

December 18, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Megan Richards, founder of The Authentic Girl (South Africa) — **Megan Richards**, founder of The Authentic Girl (South Africa)

Blogging is a great way of connecting with people and sharing information and insights about things that are of interest to key audiences. Megan Richards, founder of the popular blog The Authentic Girl has tapped into an exciting audience of women who share a love of fashion, beauty and great food.

ENTREPRENEUR SMARTS: Evolve or Die

December 18, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Every month I see startups who are failing because they have not evolved. Every startup ecosystem goes through three distinct stages. Startups that do not evolve to fit each stage will die out. So what are these stages?

Essential Read: Jo Malone: My Story by Jo Malone

December 18, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Known around the world for her eponymous brand of fragrances and now her brand-new venture Jo Loves which is soon to debut in the US, Jo Malone tells the remarkable and inspiring story of her rise from humble beginnings to beloved business success.